What he doesn't know
by Henordra
Summary: Kid!Fic Pre-Slash Tony/Steve. After breaking into, and destroying, an AIM base, the Avengers find a little boy.
1. Chapter 1

'On your left, Iron Man,' Steve calls as he drops and rolls under some fallen masonry.

'Yes, Captain Cautious,' Tony ignores the bullets that ping against his armour and continues to stare the data he's lifting from the AIM servers. 'Hulk, be a dear?'

'Hulk SMASH!' Hulk agrees.

Steve rather wishes Hulk was that ready to follow his orders.

He hurls his shield at another man trying to flank Tony from the side away from Hulk and catches it on the rebound as he spins to check behind them.

'Clear for now,' he calls.

'That's lovely,' Tony says distractedly. 'Give it to Cap.'

Hulk huffs and drops a mangled thug at Steve's feet.

'Err,' Steve swallows back the instinctual terror everyone but Tony seems to have. 'Good job.'

Hulk huffs again and lumbers away.

'Blackwidow, status,' Steve orders.

'Clear,' Natasha reports in over the comm.

'Coming to you,' Clint adds.

'Roger,' Steve lets himself relax a little.

'How's the hacking?' Clint asks.

'Iron Man is connected to the computer and is making progress,' Steve tells him.

'You have no idea,' Natasha calls him on it.

'I have no idea,' Steve agrees. 'But nothing's been blown up so...' he shrugs even though they can't see it.

'AIM are into some weird ass shit,' Tony informs them.

'Good to know,' Steve replies, knowing that Tony isn't really listening to them.

'Meeting resistance,' Natasha tells him and he can hear gun fire down the corridor.

'Where did they all come from?' Clint complains. 'Between us and you, Cap. Think you can come take them from the rear?'

'On my way,' Steve agrees readily. 'Iron Man, keep working on that,' as if Tony would do anything else, 'Hulk stay and guard...'

'Big Green,' Tony interrupts, 'go with Spangles.'

Hulk is moving off towards the gunfire before Steve can argue.

Steve runs after him down the corridor and into what looks like a large laboratory. Equipment has been toppled over and piled into the middle of the room to make a circular barricade; the remaining AIM operatives start shooting from behind it.

Steve ducks his head behind his shield as Hulk roars and charges them.

'Nice, Cap,' Clint appears on the other side of the lab.

'He's starting to listen to you,' Natasha says, approvingly.

'Iron Man told him to come,' Steve admits as he watches Hulk wander around the large room as if he's patrolling.

'It isn't that he doesn't like you, Cap,' Clint insists.

'He just likes Iron Man more?' Steve ducks into the ruined barricade to check for survivors.

'Iron Man just tells him to do things he was already inclined to do,' Natasha disagrees as she starts piling bodies.

'Ummm...'

'No, they have some sort of understanding...'

'Guys?'

'It helps that he isn't scared of him,' Natasha adds with a smirk.

'Everyone is!'

'Hey!' Clint snaps before softening his voice. 'I think there's a kid back here.'

There's several long seconds of silence and then all eyes are on Steve.

'What?' he stares back.

'You're Captain America,' Clint tells him. 'Saving children is definitely your job.'

'This may surprise you, but I didn't actually run into many kids in need of saving in the middle of Hydra bases,' Steve hisses at him.

'Just be you,' Natasha tells him. 'Kids like you.'

'Kids like Hawkeye,' Steve objects.

'Kids like to laugh at me when I juggle knives or shoot things like a badass,' Clint grins at him. 'They think you'll keep them safe.'

Steve does not feel trained for this.

He pushes back his cowl and his fingers through his hair in an attempt to look a little more normal.

'Hey,' he calls softly as he ducks down to look behind some machinery. Sure enough there's a small boy, maybe three or four years old, curled up in the tiny gap. 'Hey, it's alright now. You're safe.'

'Tell him you're Captain America here to rescue him!' Clint instructs over the comm. with a grin.

'Be quiet, Hawkeye,' Natasha scolds.

'You can trust me,' Steve tries a smile and hopes he's not all over with blood; he didn't think to check. 'It's ok. Do you want to come out here? I'm sure I can find you some juice if you're thirsty?'

The little boy just stares at him with big brown eyes.

'Offer him milk and cookies!' Clint can't help himself.

'You want to stay in there?' Steve nods. 'Yeah, I understand. It was very scary out here a moment ago but all those bad people have gone now. It's just me and my friends now.'

'And a green rage monster,' Clint adds and then yelps as Natasha clearly looses her patience.

'Did they hurt you?' Steve tries to get a better view of the boy but he flinches and scoots further behind the machine. 'I'm sorry,' Steve leans back again, 'I won't hurt you. I promise you're safe now.'

'Those fucking bastards!' Tony suddenly seethes over the comm.

'Iron Man?' Natasha questions in Steve's stead.

'I hope they suffered!' Tony snaps and Steve blinks in surprise at the venom in him voice.

The comm. is silent for a few moments, a sure sign Tony's speaking with Jarvis, and then they can hear the armour approaching.

'He'll scare the kid,' Clint warns.

'Iron Man, wait...!' Steve calls out too late as Tony walks into the room and scowls through his open faceplate.

Three surprising things happen very quickly.

Firstly the armour retracts, which doesn't normally happen unless they have confirmed a location safe, and Tony moves to stand behind Steve.

Secondly the little boy, who has been half cringing from Steve this entire time, lights up at the sight of Tony and scrambles out from behind the machinery.

And finally Tony drops to one knee, opens his arms and the little boy, with only a moment's hesitation, runs straight to him and flings his arms around his neck.

'What. The. Fuck.' Clint is as eloquent as ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve is quite sure his entire team are still working to comprehend the sight in front of them.

Tony Stark is standing in front of them, flicking at a tablet that he has magicked from somewhere, with a small boy perched on his hip and cuddled against his side.

'You should have just told him you were Captain America,' Tony tells him without looking up from what he's doing.

The little boy finally lifts his head away from Tony's neck and stares at Steve, apparently looking at his suit.

'I wasn't sure Captain America would be very reassuring,' Steve shrugs, 'he's very young.'

Tony just hums vaguely.

'SHIELD are on the way to clean up,' Natasha tells them. They've moved to the clearer end of the lab and away from the bodies.

'Right,' Tony's head jerks up. 'Ok, I have some things I need to take care of. I'll try to meet you back at the helicarrier. Cap, you need to look after him, ok?' he shifts the boy into Steve's arms.

'What's...?'

'Please, Cap,' Tony silences all protests. 'Just look after him. Do not let him out of your sight. Don't even let the SHIELD doctors take him anywhere. You stay with him at all times. Promise me?'

'I promise,' Steve agrees readily.

'Thank you,' Tony sounds relieved as he steps back into his armour and rockets away.

'Ok,' Steve makes the effort to smile at the boy who's tracing the star on his chest with a finger, 'we're good aren't we? And Tony'll be back before you know it.'

Huge brown eyes just gaze up at him before a moment before the boy curls into his side and promptly falls asleep.

'What the fuck?' Clint just looks bewildered.

'Language,' Steve scolds, quite automatically, with a glance to the boy in his arms.

Natasha hums and moves to a console against the room. After a few minutes she's apparently hacked in.

'Well,' she turns back to them, 'whatever it was he found he's wiped the data from here. Chances are he has the only copy now.'

'Let's get out of here,' Steve decides. 'We don't need to wait for SHIELD and the quicker we get back to the helicarrier, the quicker we can get home.'

On the helicarrier they get some strange looks, but they aren't stopped until after Bruce has left for his room and the remaining three of them get to the conference room.

'I'll take the boy,' an agent smiles and reaches for him.

'No, that's fine,' Steve smiles back as he feels small fingers tighten their grip on the neck of his suit.

'He'll be perfectly safe with me,' he persists. 'I can find him something to eat and some toys.'

What toys could there possibly be on the helicarrier?

'Some water would be great, thanks,' Steve steps around him and into the conference room. Natasha and Clint follow him and then close the door.

'Not that Stark isn't a great guy at heart,' Clint voices what Steve's been thinking, 'but why does he care so much about what happens to the kid? No offence, kid.'

The boy just stares at him and the fidgets on Steve's lap as he sits down.

'What's your name?' Steve tries asking again.

The boy just stares at him.

'I'm Captain America,' Steve smiles, 'but you can call me Steve, if you'd like. What shall I call you?'

The boy's head tips to the side as if he's considering the question and Steve hears a sudden intake of breath from Natasha across the table.

A sound like that from Natasha is like screaming hysteria from anyone else.

Steve glances at her but she doesn't give anything else away.

And then the door opens and Fury strides in, shattering the quiet moment,

'What have we got here then?' he stares at the boy who clutches at Steve's arm but stares right back.

'He was at the AIM compound,' Steve reports with a slight scowl towards the Director. 'He's in my custody right now.'

'Not Stark's?' Fury asks and flicks a look at Natasha.

Steve stays silent; they clearly think they know something.

'Captain,' Fury smiles, 'I know I have the advantage of having seen him before, but look at the boy. Who does he remind you of?'

Steve looks at the boy in his lap, brown hair and eyes, skin that's slightly darker than his own, a gaze that seems to be obtaining knowledge through pure force of will...

'He's my son,' Tony declares as he strides into the room looking like he just stepped out of a high rollers' casino.

'You had time to change?' Steve blurts pointlessly.

'I arrived on my jet,' Tony shrugs and tucks his sunglasses into his pocket. 'I can get lots of things done on that jet.'

Fury narrows his eyes at Tony, who smirks in response.

The boy on Steve's lap then squirms enough to get to the floor and run to the man who is apparently his father.

'Your son?' Clint stares. 'Ok, a bit embarrassed I didn't see it before; he looks just like you.'

'He's a clone,' Tony scoops the boy back onto his hip as if he's been doing this for years.

'There are two of you,' Clint deadpans and the drops his head onto the conference table.

'Why would anyone want that?' Steve asks in confusion.

He sees Natasha smirk, hears Clint huff a laugh but it takes Tony's bemused stare for him to realise what he's just said,

'Not that you aren't just swell,' he offers Tony an embarrassed grin and hopes their friendship has progressed far enough for this.

'I won't bore you with the details, but they wanted a me loyal to them to make them tech,' Tony rolls his eyes. 'Guess they were playing the long game.'

'Why can't he talk?' Steve worries.

'He can talk, can't you buddy?' Tony looks at the boy who nods and then glances around.

'Where's mommy?' he sounds scared.

God, Steve thinks, we have to find...

'She isn't coming,' Tony smiles, 'you won't see her again.'

The boy breaks into the most enormous grin and hugs Tony tightly around the neck. Tony closes his eyes and hugs him back.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve stares at the closed door for several seconds after Tony has left with his son.

What small boy doesn't want his mother?

And why was Tony not surprised?

'Captain?' Fury's voice cuts through his thoughts. 'Would it be alright with you if we debrief now?'

Steve represses a flinch at his tone,

'Sorry, sir.'

'Isn't much to tell,' Clint shrugs as he sprawls in his chair. 'Tony got a tip that there was an AIM base, we went, he hacked, we conquered.'

'And the data?' Fury clasps his hands together as he looks between them.

'Stark has it,' Natasha tells him.

'Stark has it,' Fury repeats. 'And when do you suppose he'll hand it over?' he looks straight at Steve.

He knows Steve isn't going to chase Tony to hand anything over to SHIELD.

'I'm confident he'll make us aware of anything important,' Steve replies, stubbornly.

Fury snorts,

'The more important it is the less likely Stark is to share.'

'It was his tip,' Steve tells him, 'that makes it his mission and his data. You're the one that made him a consultant and not a full Avenger.'

Fury is too controlled to pull a face like he's sucking a lemon.

'The clone is of Stark,' Natasha adds. 'The data he has recovered is most likely the research into achieving that and their plans for raising the boy.'

'Eliminating the nature verses nurture variable,' Fury mutters to himself; a statement that Steve resigns himself not to understand.

'Most likely,' Natasha agrees, straight faced and not giving a thing away.

'If you two think you're being subtle...' Clint scoffs.

'Not our secret to tell,' Fury shrugs and flicks a hand. 'And it's mostly guesswork on my part.'

'Then we don't need to know,' Steve tells them, decisively. 'If it's Tony's business then we can respect that.'

'Hmm,' Fury watches him intently.

'What Tony found on the computer isn't important right now,' Steve insists. 'The point is we worked well as a team.'

Fury subsides, to Steve's relief, and the discussion on team tactics begins.

* * *

'We're collecting my friend Bruce and then we're flying home,' Tony tells the boy in his arms as he abandons the rest of his team to do the debriefing thing.

'Ok,' a small nose is pressed against his neck.

Tony won't let himself panic.

He can do this.

'Pepper is going to be so mad at me,' Tony grins manically as he jogs the last few feet to hammer on Bruce's door. 'She's going to love you though. Come Brucey-boo! Time to go home!'

Bruce opens the door, looking tired, and falls in step with Tony without comment.

'Bruce is my favourite science bro,' Tony tells his son as his brain summons up how much he had wished Howard would just take the time to talk to him. 'And we're going to get his opinion on that machine I've acquired.'

'Is this going to be another situation where I remind you what sort of doctor I actually am?' Bruce looks over. 'Oh, hello.'

'Bruce, this is my son,' Tony tells him with a perfectly straight face.

Bruce stares then shakes his head,

'You were right then; they did get their hands on some DNA.' He gets it, and that's why he's Tony's favourite.

'Yup,' Tony pops the p at the end.

'And he's going to move in with us?' Bruce asks carefully; Tony had admitted his suspicions of AIM having some of his DNA but they didn't discuss what would happen if they found a live child.

'I'm an arsehole,' Tony informs him, 'but if all I manage is to be a better parent to him than mine were to me then he'll turn out alright. There are people in the penthouse now converting my second guest room.'

'When you decide something needs to happen it certainly happens fast,' Bruce just laughs and shakes his head.

'Jarvis has created him a back story,' Tony adds. 'Born to a surrogate and living with me in secret. I just need to choose a name and he can falsify all the birth records. Any problems from Fury and I unleash the pack of SI lawyers..'

'Ok,' Bruce agrees, probably ignoring that last part. 'Do you have any in mind?'

'Ah, well, there's a complication on that front,' Tony grins as they step onto the lift for the quick trip to the flight deck. 'I'll tell you on the jet, come on.'

The boy tucks himself tighter to Tony's chest as they go outside, burying his face against the arc reactor and away from the wind that races across the deck. They move quickly over to the jet and up the steps as the flight crew finish the preparations for take off.

'What's the problem?' Bruce asks as soon as they sit down.

'Coffee please,' Tony smiles at the steward.

'Certainly, mister Stark.'

'Rhodey only chose me three names and I might need four,' Tony tells him simply as he puts his son onto the seat beside him next to the window. He holds onto the boy's arm as the jet lauches off the side of the helicarrier and then lets him scramble away to look out the window.

'Might need four,' Bruce repeats and rubs his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose. 'Tony, I'm quite tired, can you spell this out for me?'

'The machine he was hiding behind?' Tony reminds him and Bruce nods vaguely. 'An incubator.

'Can we have burgers and chips, please?' he diverts easily into beaming at a stewardess who's bringing over his coffee now that they're in the air. 'And juice. Orange juice with bits.'

'Of course, Mister Stark,' she smiles. 'Would you like a straw with that?'

'What the hell, yes please,' Tony grins.

'An incubator,' Bruce likes to repeat things when he's tired.

'Yeah, and it's working so...' Tony shrugs letting Bruce join the dots.

'So there may be a third Stark on the way,' Bruce slumps back in his chair.

'Or a clone of someone else,' Tony shrugs. 'We don't know for sure that they don't have anyone one else's DNA. That's where you come in.'

'Right...' Bruce looks stunned.

'I got my people in before SHIELD arrived and... acquired the incubator. It's in my workshop in the tower.'

'You work really fast,' Bruce shakes his head again, impressed. 'So, if this second baby is yours...'

'And if it's a boy,' Tony agrees, 'then I'll have to check with Rhodey what other names I can use.'

'Is this a bet you lost?'

'I'm not allowed to name human beings,' Tony declares.

'Probably wise,' Bruce smiles.

* * *

'Well?' Tony knows patience isn't his strongest suit. He stretches as he stands up from the coach where he's put his son down to sleep using his tailored suit jacket as a blanket. In a practiced move he dodges around Dummy to get to where Bruce is studying the data from the AIM servers.

'This is incredible research,' Bruce sounds impressed and reminds Tony of Reed.

'They cloned me,' Tony smirks, 'and I'm not your average guy.'

'No,' Bruce agrees with a smile.

'Is the kid mine?' Tony leans into Bruce's side.

'Ah,' Bruce looks awkward but doesn't move away. 'Yes and no.'

'Mine but not another clone,' Tony guesses. 'Any idea who the mother is?'

Bruce looks up,

'Steve.'

Tony glances over his shoulder expecting the Captain to have arrived, but there's no one there.

Oh.

'Oh,' Tony turns back to face his friend. 'They managed to create a child from me and Cap?'

That's... weird.

'Yes,' Bruce sighs. 'It seems that due to the serum they were able to manipulate some cells of Steve's into behaving as eggs so then they just injected them with your DNA.'

'Why?' Tony shakes his head as his mind races.

'Your mind with Steve's serum?' Bruce suggests with a shrug. 'Maybe just a simple straight up bargaining chip against you both.'

'They can't know what traits it'll display,' Tony scowls, 'unless they know the serum will be passed on.'

'Your own intelligence could be argued to be genetic,' Bruce adds mildly.

Bruce is allowed to mention Howard because he's Tony's favourite.

'There's that,' Tony agrees. 'How long until it's... born?'

'Two and a half months if we're going to believe this convenient countdown,' Bruce gestures to the screen. 'I'll read the rest of their notes to be sure.'

Tony starts planning in his head,

'Ok, we can work with this.'

He can definitely work with this.

'It's a boy,' Bruce adds, 'for what it's worth.'

Tony nods,

'Right, ok. Jarvis, run those names past Rhodey.'

'Of course, sir.'

'What are you going to tell Steve?'

Tony hesitates for a moment and then shakes his head.

'That the second child is mine and the other parent isn't known.'

'You're going to lie.'

'He doesn't need to know,' Tony shrugs, his gaze settling on his son sleeping across the room.

'It's his son too,' Bruce points out.

'Look, I like Cap,' Tony gestures vaguely. 'We're getting along alright and he's settling in better now. I don't think suddenly have a child is going to help. And having a child with me? When we're only just at the stage were he feels he can tease me? And with him coming from the 40s? No, it'll throw him off his stride when he's only just found it.'

'You really think it's ok to keep his son from him?'

'What? No,' Tony scoffs. 'I'm not going to do this alone. What the hell do I know about caring for a baby? I'm going to shove them together at every possible opportunity. I'm just not going to tell Cap that the kid's his.'

'So he'll have the relationship with the boy but not any of the responsibility,' Bruce shakes his head with a smile. 'Tony, that's an interesting line your morals are letting you walk.'

'I'm a billionaire with a support structure, such as it is, outside of the team,' Tony grins self-depreciatingly. 'Cap only has the team and still occasionally freaks out over the price of takeout.'

'And if the child bares an uncanny resemblance to Steve?' Bruce asks, but he's smiling so Tony's pretty sure he's happy with this plan.

'We shall blow up that bridge when we come to it,' Tony claps him on the back.

'Sir,' Jarvis calls out, 'Colonel Rhodes has approved of your chosen names for the children. He will be calling you later when he's able.'

'Great,' Tony smiles. 'You approve too, buddy?'

'I am honoured, sir.'

Tony nods,

'Then, Bruce,' he gestures across the lab to the sleeping child, 'meet Peter Jarvis Stark and,' he gestures to the incubator, 'James Steven Stark.'

'Congratulations, Tony,' Bruce smiles and grips his shoulder, 'you're a dad.'

Tony blinks in surprise and smiles before waggling a finger at Bruce,

'Do not let me fuck up raising Captain America's kid.'

Bruce just smiles.


	4. Chapter 4

After debriefing Steve heads straight home. Still, it's late in the evening before he finally gets back to his floor of the tower and is able to shower and change.

'Jarvis, where's Tony?' he asks as he wraps a towel around his hips and starts rubbing his hair dry.

He's gotten used to being under constant surveillance, and at least with Jarvis he can be pretty sure the AI doesn't pay active attention when he isn't dressed unlike when he was still living under SHIELD's radar.

'Sir is in the living area of his penthouse, Captain. Would you like me to relay a message to him?'

'Can you ask if I can go up to see him?' Steve rubs himself down and finds some pants.

'Sir would be delighted to see you,' Jarvis is clearly partially quoting, 'in whatever state of dress you may find yourself.'

Steve just laughs and pulls on a shirt before getting on the lift,

'Penthouse please,' he smiles vaguely upwards, knowing Jarvis will know it's for him.

'Of course, Captain.'

'Cap,' Tony grins at him from over on the couch as soon at the doors open. He's shed his suit jacket but is still wearing the dress shirt and suit pants, his shoes have gone as well. 'Come in. You need a drink?'

'I'm good, thanks Tony,' Steve smiles. He glances around, 'where's your... son?'

'Peter Jarvis Stark,' Tony tells him with a grin, 'is asleep in my room. It's been quite a day for him and Jarvis told me seven thirty was a perfectly acceptable time for a three and a half year old to go to bed.'

'You named him,' Steve approves as he sits down across from Tony. A quick glance at the screen that is the coffee table shows a large number of pictures of brightly coloured children's toys.

'Yes,' Tony agrees and lounges back, 'and the other one.'

'Other one?' Steve finds himself looking around wildly as though a child might suddenly jump out from somewhere.

'James Steven Stark,' Tony tells him, watching him intently. 'He isn't born yet.'

Steve knows he's smiling goofily,

'Steven? Really?'

'I agreed the permitted names with Rhodey over a decade ago,' Tony makes his excuse, still watching Steve. 'I had a bit of a hero worship thing going on; you can blame Howard.'

'Yeah,' Steve scoots forwards a little in his seat, 'but you know me now and you still... I'm honoured, Tony.'

Tony flashes him a quick, but genuine, smile,

'Blame Rhodes,' he dismisses.

'Well, he gets to have the first name,' Steve smiles.

'Yeah, but I never actually call him James,' Tony screws up his face.

'You don't call me Steven,' Steve teases.

'Steven Stark?' Tony smirks suddenly, 'you like the sound of that?'

Steve might be blushing,

'When's he due?'

'Couple of months,' Tony flicks a hand.

'Is he another...?' is this a rude question?

'Clone?' Tony tips his head in the identical way to Peter earlier. 'No. I don't know who the other parent is.'

'Gosh,' Steve crosses his arms as he leans forwards. 'Will you be ok?'

'Ok?' Tony looks amused. 'I don't know. Probably not. You know me; I'll forget to feed them and wash them and even talk to them. It's very sad. Hey, you available to babysit? I can pay well... how's a couple of grand an hour?'

Steve laughs,

'I'd love to babysit if you're ok with that.'

'You'd like kids, Spangles?' Tony gets up and turns away as he heads over to his bar.

Steve is glad he's realised that the names are meant teasingly rather than maliciously.

'Yeah,' Steve nods as he watches Tony pour himself a scotch. 'Once I became...' he gestures to himself awkwardly, 'this... I figured kids were something I could hope for in my future. I still hope I can, one day. It's more daunting now though. Not that I was great at meeting people before,' he shrugs.

'Ah, well, borrow mine then,' Tony tells him as he comes back over and sits beside him. 'There are going to be times when I can't have them with me. I'm the only one around here actually holding down a job after all.'

'We're grateful,' Steve tells him earnestly, 'for everything you do for us. I'm sure we'll all do anything we can to help with your sons.'

Tony rolls his head against the back of the couch to look over at Steve,

'Look, doll,' he drawls, 'you and Bruce? Sure. I can get on board with that. But Clint? No. And something tells me Natasha would rather try her hand at running SI for me than looking after a baby.'

'Oh...' Steve shrugs, 'well. Umm. I'm sure they'll help in some way.'

'Sure, sweet pea,' Tony takes a sip of his drink. 'Now, what did you play with as a kid?' he gestures to the images on the table.

'Sticks?' Steve offers him a lopsided smile. 'I had a baseball and some toy soldiers.'

'Very wholesome,' Tony mocks.

'What did you play with then?' Steve challenges.

'I built things,' Tony shrugs. 'Basic machines, small weapons powered with elastic bands... I don't know.'

'Well,' Steve leans forwards too, 'there are blocks. If he's anything like you he might like the puzzle thing? Or would it be too simple for him?'

'Too simple,' Tony smirks.

'An Iron Man action figure?' Steve grins back.

'Avengers merchandise!' Tony grins suddenly and waves a hand across the table making all the images disappear and new ones form. 'Some of the things I authorised are brilliant!'

'You authorised? Not Fury?'

'He has rights to Hawkeye and Blackwidow but of course I have rights to Iron Man and Bruce made sure I had copyright on Hulk... I got the rights for Thor too but I make sure I funnel the money from there to Foster.'

'And Captain America?' Steve asks, curious.

'Howard owned the rights to you and he passed them to me,' Tony wrinkles his nose. 'I can sign them over?'

'No,' Steve shakes his head, 'it's fine.'

Steve watches as Tony flicks through the images and wonders that Tony is as clueless as him about appropriate toys.

'Did you just select a cuddly version of my shield?'

'Yeah, but that's totally for me because I feel neglected that you won't let me play with the real one.'

'I have never said you couldn't have it,' Steve objects.

Tony looks suddenly so innocently surprised that Steve can't help but smile.

'Really?'

'Of course,' Steve tells him. 'Whenever you want just call and I'll bring it down to your workshop. '

Tony beams at him,

'I'll let you have the plush one then.'

'Give it to Peter,' Steve smiles 'I'll have a cuddly Iron Man instead.'

Tony laughs and puts down his finished drink,

'Sure, I can do that.'

'Where will he stay?' Steve doesn't really want to have to point out to Tony that his penthouse isn't exactly child proof.

'He'll sleep in my room until my second guest room is converted,' Tony misses the point. 'That should be finished in a couple of days.'

'We're...' Steve hesitates as Tony looks at him curiously, 'a long way up and there's no barrier on your balcony.'

'I hadn't admittedly thought of that,' Tony looks over at his glass wall. 'But Jarvis would never let him outside on his own and even if he did get out Jay can catch him with a suit.'

'That's the plan?' Steve finds himself unfortunately charmed but Tony's attitude. 'If your son falls off the edge of a skyscraper it's ok, because your AI butler will catch him with one of your robot suits?'

'Yes?' Tony just looks confused. 'No?'

'It's a fine plan, Tony,' Steve smiles at him. 'Though, of course, hopefully we'll never have to test the plan.'

'Right,' Tony agrees before scowling suddenly. 'Jarvis, get me one of those child-sized crash-test dummies.'

'Certainly, sir.'

'And when the baby is born?' Steve decides he doesn't want to ask after that request.

'There's a third guest room,' Tony tells him. 'Jim can have that. After that I'd have to convert the workshop downstairs into living quarters so I guess that'll be it for the Stark line.'

Steve laughs,

'What about the first guest room?'

'Where would Pepper sleep?' Tony sounds almost offended.

'You could make her her own floor,' Steve tries to repress his grin.

'I offered before,' Tony looks disgruntled, 'she said a room was fine.'

'Well, there's a spare room on my floor.'

Steve can see when Tony realises he's teasing.

'That's true,' Tony agrees with a sudden grin, 'I'll stay with you, and the three kids and Pepper can live up here!'

'What about if I have a kid?' Steve doesn't bother hiding his grin anymore.

'Alright,' Tony waves a hand, 'I keep the master room in the penthouse, Pepper has the guest suit, my third kid gets the second guest room, your kid gets the third, and Pete and Jim get your floor.'

'I seem to have lost out in this scenario,' Steve points out with a very fake pout.

'Oh?' Tony acts surprised. 'Well, you're bunking with me, of course, as we raise our scientifically generated family together,' he grins teasingly.

Steve hopes the sudden warmth he feels at the mere concept of having a family doesn't show on his face,

'Oh, that's quite a nice upgrade I'm getting.'

'And you haven't even seen my bed yet,' Tony's wearing a very smug smirk.

Steve feels himself blush,

'I hope it's big enough for the both of us.'

Tony very obviously looks him up and down,

'I think I can manage to fit you in, big boy.'

'Christ Tony,' Steve gives up and buries his red face in his hands with a laugh.

'I win!' Tony crows.

'I'm not sure I can afford to lose games against you,' Steve tries to get his expression under control before he looks up.

'Hah, you're lucky we didn't agree to a bet then,' Tony's still grinning at him. 'Rhodey strictly owes me a couple of million and don't let him tell you I owe him a plane, because it hit me not the other way around!'

'I'll make you breakfast,' Steve offers before his brain catches up with his mouth, 'I'm not a sore looser even if I didn't know we were competing.'

Tony considers him for a moment,

'Make it breakfast for three and you're on,' his expression is teasing but Steve thinks the invite is genuine.

'Alright,' Steve smiles, 'I'll make pancakes in the morning then; I'm sure little boys like pancakes.'

'We have a deal!' Tony sticks out a hand to shake on it. 'Jarvis make sure you let Cap in to cook for us tomorrow.'

'Of course, sir,' Jarvis agrees.

'Right,' Tony rubs his hands together and gets up. 'I should probably go to bed now then. You may not have heard, but I have a hot date with two gorgeous young men tomorrow morning.' Steve laughs. 'Goodnight, Captain.'

'Goodnight, Tony,' Steve smiles, 'sleep well.'

* * *

'That went well,' Tony comments after Steve leaves.

'Yes, sir,' Jarvis agrees.

Tony enters his bedroom and gazes for a minute at where his son is asleep on his bespoke bed, still clutching his suit jacket. He smiles and gets changed before climbing into the opposite side of the bed.

'Goodnight, Jay,' he lays down facing the sleeping boy.

'Goodnight, sir,' Jarvis replies quietly and turns off the light.

Tony waits for his eyes to adjust and then keeps watching his son,

'Jay?'

'Yes, sir?'

'I'm not going to fuck this up, right?'

'Ignoring your unfortunate tendency to swear,' Jarvis scolds, 'you have shown every indication so far of being a perfectly adequate father.'

'Good,' Tony relaxes, 'that's good.'

'You have always been better at caring for others than for yourself,' Jarvis adds.

'I know my limits,' Tony lets his eyes close.

'Yes, sir.'

'Steve won't hate me for lying, will he?' Tony asks, mostly asleep now.

'I do not believe so,' Jarvis replies gently.

'I will tell him,' Tony wants to make sure Jarvis knows. 'Make a reminder; I have to tell Steve by Jim's sixth birthday or you just send him a message the day after.'

'Reminder created,' Jarvis confirms quietly.

'You're my favourite,' Tony tells him and falls asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony wakes up to an empty bed.

Jarvis didn't wake him, so Pete must be fine; Steve must have arrived.

'Jarvis?'

'Good morning, sir. Peter is currently eating blueberry pancakes with Captain Rogers.'

'Marvellous,' he stretches and relaxes back bonelessly.

'Ms Potts has left instructions for me to contact her once you are awake.'

'What time is it?' Tony mashes his face into his pillow.

'The time is seven forty five,' Jarvis responds.

It's for the best that Pete isn't here to hear Tony's response to that news.

'Tony?' Pepper's voice sounds out across his room.

'Pep!' Tony sits up and rubs a hand over his face. 'Congratulations, you're an auntie!'

'So I've heard,' Pepper beams at him when he finally picks up a tablet from beside the bed so they can see each other. 'Congratulations, Tony.'

Tony smiles at her,

'You have time to come out here and meet him?'

'Of course I have time,' she scoffs at him. 'Tony, you know you're going to have to be careful how you release this to the media.'

'I know how to handle the media,' Tony reminds her.

There's a moment of silence as she smiles at him,

'How are you, Tony?'

'I'm fine.'

'Tony,' she scolds.

'I'm just thinking about what happens when the second baby is born,' Tony admits. 'If he actually looks like Steve I guess I just hope no one jumps to the right conclusion.'

'Why would he look like Steve?' Pepper just looks confused.

'Because AIM are crazy people who made a kid from me and Cap,' Tony tells her.

'You aren't going to tell him,' she doesn't look impressed.

'He doesn't need to know,' Tony shrugs.

'Tony,' she shakes her head, 'that just isn't fair! On either of them!'

'I'm not going to keep them apart,' Tony points out. 'They'll see each other all the time.'

'No,' she disagrees, 'why would you even want to keep this from him?'

'Not forever!' Tony tries reassuring her. 'Cap's still a little... unsettled in this century. If I tell him the kid is his then he'll have this responsibility that he can't walk away from. He isn't ready for this bullshit, Pep.'

'You think this is better for Steve?' she hisses at him.

'I do,' he nods. 'Because it is. He's just starting to find things that he enjoys; I can't rip that from him and hand him a baby.'

'Does he not like kids?' Pepper's still not looking happy.

'He does,' he tells her, 'doesn't mean he wants one with me, though. And I will tell him. Definitely. Before Jim's sixth birthday or Jarvis'll do it for me and the fall out from that would be much worse.'

'Six years?' she shakes her head.

'Look,' he interrupts her with the tone she knows he means he's actually being serious, 'what does it matter? It's just DNA. If he wants to be in the kid's life, he will be, if he wants to be responsible for helping look after him and protect him, he can. What does it matter if I don't tell him? If he doesn't want anything to do with him then it's for the best that he doesn't feel obliged.'

Pepper just looks sad now.

'If he sticks around,' Tony continues after a moment, 'then they'll both know it was because he wanted to.'

'But...'

'There's no downside,' Tony interrupts. 'Either Cap gets it and everything is fine or he's angry, but he'll be angry with me, not with Jim. If the only fall out is Cap being furious with me,' he shrugs, 'then I'm definitely doing the right thing.'

'I'm not happy with this,' Pepper tells him.

'You don't have to be,' Tony wrinkles his nose. 'Just don't tell Cap.'

'Who else knows?' she sighs.

'Bruce and Jarvis.'

'Oh, like either of them would argue with you...' she mutters. She forgets how sensitive the mics are in StarkTabs.

'Women make this choice all the time,' Tony tells her. 'I'm trusting you not to tell him.'

Blatant manipulation on his part.

'I won't tell him,' Pepper finally agrees, 'but we're going to talk about this again when I get there.'

'The deadline is his sixth birthday,' Tony reminds her, 'I can tell Cap before that if I think it's a good time.'

'Captain Rogers is about to enter hearing range,' Jarvis reports.

'I'll speak to you later, Pep.'

'Steve's there at this time in the morning? Did you sleep with him?' Pepper's eyes have widened.

There's a choked noise from the hallway.

'Yes, we had crazy monkey sex,' Tony tells her.

'Gah...' Steve has apparently forgotten how to speak.

'Alright,' Pepper seems to relax, 'but why is he there?'

'He's making breakfast because he's,' Tony gestures at Steve and grimaces, 'wholesome.'

'You make that sound like an insult,' Steve remembers how to speak. 'Good morning, Ms Potts.'

'Good morning, Captain,' she replies with a smile. There's no hint of what he's told her in her tone; she's his favourite. 'I'll call you later, Tony.'

'No breakfast in bed?' Tony dumps his tablet and gets up.

'I wasn't even sure you were awake,' Steve replies and glances away as Tony stretches his arms over his head.

'I'd always welcome a wake up call from you,' Tony smirks at him.

'I'll remember you said that the next time I fancy company on my morning jog,' Steve shoots back as he leads the way back down the hall.

'Jogging isn't my thing,' Tony replies easily, 'but I'm sure I can think of an activity we could do together that'll work up a sweat.'

Steve laughs; a marked improvement over a few weeks ago when he would have flinched and glared angrily.

'Dada!' they're interrupted as Pete jumps down from his seat at the bar and runs to Tony.

'You don't have a table,' Steve informs him, 'so we ate at the bar.'

'Huh,' Tony scoops up his son and then glances around as if he's expecting to find a table. 'Right. I've not needed one. Good morning, Pete.'

'Dada,' Pete wraps his arms around his neck.

'What's the verdict, kiddo? Does Cap know his way around a pancake?'

'I know my way around a coffee machine,' Steve replies and hands over a steaming mug.

'You are my favourite,' Tony informs him as he inhales the vapours.

'There were blueberries,' Pete tells him matter-a-factly.

'Yeah? Well, Cap's an overachiever,' Tony tells him and hops up onto one of the bar stools. 'Feed me.'

'Sure, Tony,' Steve just looks amused as the turns back to his frying pan.

'You still hungry, squirt?' he asks the boy as he traces a finger over the glowing outline of the arc reactor through his shirt.

'Nuh, I had three,' Pete holds up three fingers to demonstrate.

'Sir,' Jarvis calls, 'three shipments have arrived for you; one of clothing, one of toys and another of refined iridium.'

'Don't get those muddled up,' Tony smirks.

'I shall endeavour not to, sir,' Jarvis snarks. 'The toys are being loaded onto the lift.'

'Have you two been introduced?' Tony waves a hand vaguely. 'Pete, the voice without a face is Jarvis; he's my best friend and he looks after us, ok?'

'Hullo Jarvis,' Pete says carefully.

'Hello, Master Peter,' Jarvis replies gently.

'Here,' Steve puts a stack of pancakes in front of Tony and pours syrup over the lot, 'I'll take Pete and you eat those.'

'I love you,' Tony informs him as he relinquishes his son and attacks his breakfast.

'That's good to know,' Steve sounds a little strange but Tony's too busy right now to wonder about it.

'You got him dressed alright?' Tony asks as he swallows down some more coffee. He nods vaguely to where his son is clearly not dressed in the pyjamas Tony put him to bed in.

'I may have dared to enter a 24 hour mall on my morning run,' Steve admits, 'and they had some clothes in his size. You don't mind, do you?'

Tony just scoffs,

'Oh, so much. The liberties you've taken... Make me breakfast for the rest of the week or I'll never forgive you.'

Steve laughs,

'Well, I can't have that.'

'Delivery on the lift for you, sir,' Jarvis announces.

'Get that for me?' Tony asks, waving vaguely at the lift doors as they open. 'It's all stuff for Pete.'

'All of it?' Pete sounds awed.

'Sure thing,' Tony agrees.

He may have gotten a little carried away, but it's not like the kid doesn't deserve it.

He swallows down the last of his pancakes and refills his coffee before venturing over to help Steve with the boxes. Dumping them all in the middle of the floor means they can see what's arrived as well as freeing up the lift.

'Wow,' Steve murmurs and glances at him.

Getting one of each of the Avengers action figures was necessary though, and he couldn't help the cuddly shield. The three tubs of Lego technic just make sense and so do the large number of toy cars, the road mat to go with them and the multilevel car park and garage. As for the paints and crayons, what kid doesn't like that shit? And the three remote controlled cars were just too good not to get, though, actually, if he just adjusts the gearing... But not right now. The bicycle is, admittedly, not the most practical toy at the top of a skyscraper, but the penthouse is pretty open plan and he doesn't have carpets.

Pete is quickly enamoured with the little toy cars and sends them shooting off in all directions across the polished floor. Tony sits cross legged next to him as he puts stabilisers onto the shiny red bike and Steve shakes his head before starting to remove various toys from their packaging.

'There isn't a puppy in here, is there?' Steve asks quietly.

'No,' Tony knows he looks baffled.

'There's every other present a little boy could want,' Steve replies with a shake of his head.

'No pets,' Tony looks back down. 'Perfect, that's the first thing he can resent me for.'

'Don't be absurd,' Steve tells him. 'He'll just make himself a robot dog and everything will be fine.'

Tony laughs quietly,

'If it turns out like Dummy that's not much of an improvement, but it wouldn't shed on everything, I suppose.'

Peter finally flings the last of the cars across the floor and scrambles off after them.

'I think this may be yours?' Steve asks a few minutes later, holding up a StarkTab.

'Why would I want another of my own tablets?' Tony smiles. 'It's Peter's. Turn it on, will you? Jarvis can configure it from there.'

'He's three,' Steve objects, but does as he's told.

'And a half!' Pete adds from across the room as he wiggles his way under the couch to reach one of his cars.

'Three and a half,' Tony nods, 'get it right, Cap.'

'Sorry, Pete,' Steve shakes his head with a laugh. 'Tony, is this a gun?'

'A nerf gun,' Tony agrees. 'There's a bow and arrow version around here somewhere too,' he grabs it from Steve and shoots his son who shrieks with laughter and runs around dodging.

'This is so wrong,' Steve is grinning.

'Probably,' Tony agrees as he runs out of ammo. 'Kid, bring me all those darts so I can reload.'

'So very wrong,' they watch Pete scoop up all the nerf darts and carry them to his dad.

'Good job,' Tony tells him as he reloads. Pete beams and then runs to duck behind a box of paints as Tony takes aim. 'That's cheating Pete; Starks don't cheat.'

'Don't listen to him,' Steve retorts, 'your Dada is a massive cheat, he just talks his way out of it after.'

'That's slander Cap,' Tony grins and leans to the side to fire off a shot. 'I dare you to prove it in court.'

'I'm willing to take a settlement,' Steve grins back. 'A couple of million should do.'

'Done deal,' Tony tells him, and then shoots him in the shoulder.


	6. Chapter 6

Before Steve realises it he's spent all morning playing with Tony and Pete, and he only realises then because Jarvis makes an unsubtle hint to Tony about it being lunchtime.

Tony nods,

'Right. What food do we have up here?'

'I had the cupboards stocked during the night, sir.'

'Great!' Tony grins and claps his hands together. 'I'm going to put on clothes that aren't sleep pants, when I get back I'll make sandwiches, ok kiddo?'

'Ok,' Pete just smiles at his dada adoringly.

'Cap, would you put some more coffee on and find some fruit to go with lunch?' Tony starts backing out of the room. 'And milk for Pete. And yourself. Probably.'

'I'll have coffee,' Steve rolls his eyes.

Tony just winks and disappears into his bedroom.

'Jarvis,' Steve turns to root through the kitchen as Pete turns his attention to the entire zoo of plastic animals Tony bought, 'shouldn't there be people working on Pete's room?'

'No structural modifications were required to the second guest room,' Jarvis tells him. 'There are apples in the cupboard to your right. The room has been painted and work is progressing elsewhere on the manufacture of the bedroom furniture. New carpet will be installed tomorrow and the furniture will be installed on the day after that.'

'Wow,' Steve laughs. 'Being Tony Stark really is something, huh?'

It's quiet for a moment and then Jarvis speaks again,

'Sir is worried he will not be good at this; his own upbringing was far from stellar.'

Steve stops what he's doing.

'I will, of course, help him in any way I can,' the AI continues, 'but may I make a request of you, Captain?'

'Of course,' Steve squares his shoulders.

'Be patient with him,' Jarvis pauses. 'Sir simultaneously knows how important family is and doubts its necessity.'

'I'll help out as often as he'll let me,' Steve scowls. 'What do you mean he doubts...?'

'Sir knows, only too well, how being of the same blood does not equate to a loving family,' Jarvis replies quickly.

'I don't underst...'

'The cupboard above and the left of you for plates, Captain,' Jarvis interrupts.

'Is this as far as you've got?' Tony strides into the room. He's now dressed in jeans and a SI t-shirt and still manages to look like he should be on the front of a magazine. 'Cap?'

'You're advertising yourself,' Steve tells him.

Dear God. One day; please just let me have one day where I do not say something stupid to Tony Stark. Amen.

'That sounds... dirty,' Tony looks bemused.

'Umm.'

'It brings out the glow of the arc reactor,' Tony tells him pompously and then laughs as he turns to the fridge.

Get a grip, Rogers.

He puts three plates at Tony's side and pours their coffees. Pete has wiggled his way into one of bar stools by the time Steve turns around, which makes him feel terrible.

'You need a real table, Tony,' Steve tells him as he helps Pete move his chair closer to the bar.

'Yeah,' Tony glances over his shoulder to where his son is waiting for food.

At least he's on the side away from where all the alcohol is stored.

'Jarvis,' Tony turns back to his sandwiches, 'search for a table that matches the decor. Run it past Pepper and then get it delivered. By tonight if you can.'

'Of course, sir,' Jarvis replies.

'Hah!' Tony turns around looking triumphant. 'And you thought I couldn't cook.'

'You made a sandwich,' Steve points out as he pours a cup of milk.

'I made three sandwiches,' Tony pouts as he puts the plates on the bar and hops onto the seat beside Steve and opposite his son. 'With three ingredients.'

'I'm very impressed,' Steve grins.

'I'm very impressive,' Tony replies. 'You want me to cut up your apple, kiddo?'

Pete hands the apple over wordlessly.

Which is for the best as he's just crammed an enormous amount of sandwich into his mouth.

'Hungry, huh?' Tony just smiles at him as he cuts the apple into slices. 'There you go.'

Steve's heart may have melted.

The first slice of apple disappears before Pete has even swallows his entire mouthful of sandwich.

'Try not to choke, bud,' Tony advises.

'This is pretty good, Tony,' Steve adds.

'No need to sounds so fuuu...' Tony glances at his son, 'unky...'

'Funky,' Steve represses a smile.

'Yes,' Tony grins back, 'no need to sound so funky surprised.'

'That must be a modern saying,' Steve turns back to his lunch.

'Shut up,'

By the time he's finished eating Pete's eyelids are starting to droop.

'Nap time, buddy,' Tony says quietly and scoops his son off of his stool.

'Dada,' Pete slumps against Tony's chest.

'Yeah, baby boy, I'm here,' Tony murmurs quietly as he walks off towards his bedroom.

Steve watches him leave and then tidies up the remains of their lunch. After that he starts picking up Pete's toys which are pretty literally covering the entire penthouse floor.

'God you're so domestic,' Tony reappears and slumps onto the sofa. 'I'm totally keeping you.'

'You're an amazing father, Tony,' Steve smiles at him and abandons the tidy up job.

'Hey, I'm just aiming to be better than Howard,' Tony shrugs.

Steve has learnt not to comment to Tony about Howard.

'How long do kids even nap for?' Tony asks.

'I'm afraid I have no idea,' Steve smiles at him.

'I have found research suggesting forty five minutes should be adequate,' Jarvis tells him.

'Great,' Tony pulls out a tablet. 'Bring up the blueprints for the repulsors for the Quinjet.'

'Of course, sir,' Jarvis sounds strangely relieved.

Steve gazes at Tony through the slowly rotating hologram for a few moments,

'I'll leave you to it.'

Tony looks up in surprise,

'You're leaving?'

'You have work to do,' Steve shrugs, 'and I've already completely invaded your morning.'

'I don't mind,' Tony blinks at him. 'And Pete likes you.'

How messed up is it that he wishes this little domestic scene they've acted out were real?

'I had a lot of fun,' Steve smiles, 'but we both have things to do.' He makes himself walk to the lift, 'I'll see you around?'

'I'm getting food sent to the communal floor for dinner,' Tony tells him. 'I need to introduce Pete to the others. You'll be there?'

'Of course,' Steve can't fight the grin. 'Just tell me when.'

Tony nods and watches as he gets onto the lift,

'Thanks,' he calls just before the door would have closed. 'For this morning. Thanks, Cap.'

'You're welcome.'


	7. Chapter 7

Tony looses himself in his work for a time before jolting back to himself,

'Jarvis, what's the time?'

'Peter has been asleep for an hour and five minutes,' Jarvis tells him promptly. 'I have been monitoring his REM cycle and believe it would be best to wake him in ten minutes or so, if he does not wake on his own.'

'Right,' Tony relaxes back into his chair, 'thanks, Jay.'

'Of course, sir.'

'I still have a lot of work to do,' Tony looks down at the tweaks he's been making. 'You think I can take him to the workshop, let him play with Dummy and You?'

'I believe they would be delighted,' Jarvis also sounds pleased.

'Don't think being a dad is going to keep me out of the workshop,' Tony reassures him with a grin. 'I'm going to be a better father than Howard, but I can't give up working.'

'I shall prepare the workshop for your arrival, sir,' Jarvis replies as Tony gets up to wake his son.

He pauses at the door to his bedroom to gaze at the boy for a moment,

'He's gorgeous, isn't he J,' Tony smiles.

'You are fishing for compliments, sir,' Jarvis replies.

Tony laughs quietly,

'Fair enough.'

Pete wakes with a start as Tony brushes his hand through the boy's hair,

'Shhh, sorry Pete, it's just me.'

'Dada,' he wraps his arms around Tony's neck.

'Yeah, come on baby,' Tony stands up. 'I have to get some work done downstairs so...'

'I want to stay with you!' Pete declares and tightens his grip.

'Hey,' Tony just hugs him back, 'that's fine; you're coming with me. You can play in my workshop while I'm working. We'll take your toys with us, ok?'

Pete is silent for a moment,

'You aren't going away?'

'No,' Tony tells him emphatically as he carries him to the mess that is the main room of the penthouse.

Pete settles against his chest, though his hand is fisted in the material of Tony's t-shirt.

'Shall we take your cars or your zoo animals with us?' Tony asks, noting the Steve seems to have managed to split those two into separate boxes.

'Animals,' Pete declares.

'Ok,' Tony grabs that box and heads to the lift. 'You can play with those, and with the bots, and I can try to fix what those idiots at SHIELD managed to do by guessing their way towards my tech.'

Dummy perks up as soon as they set foot inside the workshop and chirps happily, You appears to be monitoring the incubator in the corner but also turns to greet them.

'Hello boys,' Tony grins, 'Dada's home. This is Pete, you saw him yesterday but he was sleeping then, you'll all play nice now, won't you. Pete,' he gestures to the bots, 'this is Dummy and You; they're robots.'

He takes Pete over to the sofa in the corner and helps him arrange his animals on the floor,

'I'm going to be just over there,' Tony waves vaguely. 'You need anything you just shout, ok?'

Dummy has rolled over slowly and peers over Tony's shoulder where he's kneeling down. Pete gazes at the bot and then offers him the plastic elephant.

'Ok,' Tony smiles as he moves away.

Dummy takes the elephant gently and the waves it around before balancing it, badly, on the arm of the sofa. It takes him five attempts before it stays put and Pete is giggling happily when he does.

'Good boy,' Tony smiles at his bot and then engrosses himself in his work.

* * *

Steve feels strangely lonely after he leaves the penthouse. It's incredible how much he already adores that little boy and his regard for Tony has reached new heights after seeing him as a father.

'Jarvis,' Steve calls out as he gathers up some paper to start drafting his report of the mission, 'can you order me a camera? There should be photos of this time and I'm not sure Tony will remember to take any.'

'I feel I should remind you, Captain, that your StarkPhone is fully capable of taking photographs,' Jarvis replies.

'Oh, of course,' Steve collects it from where he'd left it with his bike keys. 'I guess I'll learn how to use that function then.'

'I can assist you, should you require it,' Jarvis adds.

'Thank you,' Steve smiles as he turns on the phone

His report goes forgotten.


	8. Chapter 8

'Sir, Ms Potts has arrived at the tower,' Jarvis pulls Tony out of his work. 'It is also now half an hour before the time you scheduled for dinner.'

'She's going to yell at me, isn't she?' Tony sighs and saves his work.

He turns to find his son and his two bots playing with some paper and pencils.

'I suspected Captain Rogers would not mind if Peter used some of his paper,' Jarvis says by way of explanation.

Tony just nods,

'You need a drink or anything, kiddo?'

Pete looks up and beams at him. He runs over clutching the paper and thrusts it at his father.

'What's this?' Tony smoothes it out.

'Dada,' Pete keeps smiling at him, 'an' me an' Dummy an' You an' Jarvus.'

'And Jarvis,' Tony corrects even as he grins.

Sure enough there's a figure with a blue chest, a smaller figure, two deformed sticks in different colours and a squiggle that runs above their heads.

'We'll stick it up somewhere,' Tony tells him. 'Somewhere it won't accidentally catch fire.'

'I suggest the penthouse, sir. I shall take a scan and we can keep a digital copy down here,' there's a flicker in the corner and then a hologram of the picture activates.

'Great,' Tony agrees. 'Ok, bud, we need to get back upstairs so we can have dinner.'

'Ok,' Pete holds up his arms expectantly and isn't disappointed. The plastic zoo animals have all miraculously ended up back in their box so Tony picks that up too as they leave.

'Be good,' he calls out as the doors to the lift close.

'Now you get to meet all of Dada's team mates,' Tony tells him as they ride up. 'We'll put these back in the penthouse and then we'll go down to the communal floor for food.'

The communal floor is abuzz with suppressed curiosity when they arrive. Pete curls close against Tony's chest as the other Avengers all turn to gaze at them.

'Pete,' Tony starts gesturing to his team mates, 'you remember Bruce? And that's Clint and Natasha. Where's Cap?'

'Laying the table,' Natasha tells him as she walks closer. 'Hello, little one.'

'Hello,' Pete gazes at her.

She smiles. Tony debates complaining that she wasn't this nice when she met him.

'Hey kid,' Clint comes to stand beside Natasha. 'How's being the first born son of an over generous billionaire treating you?'

Pete just stares at him.

'Clint is an idiot,' Tony tells him.

'Rude,' Clint pouts.

'I want to stay with you,' Pete tucks himself closer to Tony.

'You are staying with me,' Tony reassures him. 'They're just going to be here too.'

'I got you a present,' Clint declares.

'Oh?' Tony lets Clint tug him towards the sitting area.

'He'll like building shit, right?' Clint grins.

'Language,' Steve appears from the dining area and sounds like he may have said that word quite a few times today.

'Cap,' Pete offers up his first beaming smile that isn't aimed at Tony.

Tony watches Steve melt into a puddle of patriotic goo.

'Oh, I see how it is,' Clint just grins. 'There's competition to be the favourite uncle!' He wields a large, badly wrapped, box in Tony's direction, 'for you, Pete!'

'Thank you, Clint,' Steve says, for Pete, as he comes and sits beside Tony to help Pete rip off the paper.

It's a massive box of Duplo.

'Why didn't I think of building blocks?' Tony asks as Pete examines his new toy with all the seriousness a three and a half year old can muster.

Clint sits himself on the floor and promptly builds a tower.

'I'm so impressed by you right now,' Natasha deadpans.

Clint just grins up at her and then stares as Pete slips down onto the floor and builds himself a small car.

'Oookaaay...' Clint glances back at his pitiful tower.

Tony grins,

'Genius, remember?'

'That's impressive,' Bruce sits beside Natasha.

Clint huffs and starts building something that looks like it's probably a plane. This offering does at least entertain Pete when Clint starts waving it around and making engine noises.

'Planes go in hangers,' Pete tells the archer with a quick glance at Tony.

'Let's build it one,' Clint agrees and they set to work.

Tony relaxes back against the sofa and watches as Steve takes a photo with his phone.

'Productive afternoon?' he asks as his other team mates become more involved with the building project.

'Jarvis taught me to take photos and videos,' Steve blushes as he gestures with his phone. 'And showed me how to save them to the server.'

'You know Jarvis monitors everything, right?' Tony looks at him in amusement. 'And I perfected my coloured 3D holograms?'

'That's awesome and horrifyingly creepy,' Clint adds from the floor.

'You can't put a 3D hologram on the wall,' Steve tells him stubbornly.

'Jarvis can form a 2D image from them,' Tony grins.

'Stop teasing him, Tony,' Bruce just smiles. 'Jarvis can't get a 3D image from anywhere at anytime.'

'No,' Tony agrees and then leans against Steve so he can see his phone, 'let's see then?'

God super soldiers run warm!

Tony presses himself against Steve's side as the blonde seems to freeze,

'Come on,' Tony gestures to where Steve's loosely holding his phone.

'Right,' Steve holds where they can both see and awkwardly operates it with one hand.

'Do you want me to move?' Tony looks at him closely.

'It's fine,' Steve gives him a tight smile and shifts the arm Tony had been leaning on to the top of the sofa. He then blushes as Tony just tucks himself under his arm.

'Alright then,' Tony opts to ignore him and just steal his phone. 'They're good,' he approves as he flicks through the couple of shots Steve has taken before handing the phone back.

'Thanks,' Steve fidgets.

'Sir, your food has arrived and is approaching on the lift,' Jarvis informs him.

'Right, thanks Jay,' Tony gets up. 'Come on, kiddo, to the table.'

'I'll get it,' Steve heads to the lift, followed by Bruce.

'Is Pepper joining us?' Natasha asks as Tony puts Pete onto the chair that someone, probably Steve, has put a booster seat on.

'Doubt it,' Tony sits down and pours himself a glass of wine. 'She's only just got here and she always has things to do when she arrives. I'll see her later.'

Also he and Pepper both know that they're going to have an argument and they prefer to do that in private.

'I love it when it's your turn to cook,' Clint grins as Steve and Bruce carry in covered serving plates on trays.

'Indian?' Natasha sniffs.

'Yeah,' Tony confirms, 'with enough rice and naan to keep even Cap happy.'

'I love Indian,' Clint declares and homes in on the hottest of the available dishes.

'Pass the Korma,' Tony beckons and serves his son once Bruce has put the dish in front of him.

'I still think it's cheating,' Steve smiles.

'Starks don't cheat,' Pete informs him gravely.

Tony grins widely as Clint chokes on his mouthful,

'That's right, this isn't cheating. It's actually a public service. Philanthropist, remember?'

Steve just laughs.


	9. Chapter 9

Dinner is a more restrained affair than is usual when they all sit down together, but it's still clearly exciting enough to exhaust Pete.

After finishing eating they return to the sitting area to play with the Duplo, but after half an hour Pete clambers his way into his father's lap.

'You tired?' Tony holds his scotch out to Steve so it doesn't get spilt. After the boy his settled against his chest he reclaims his glass.

'That's fucking adorable.'

'Clint! Language!' Steve scolds quietly.

'I'm telling you,' Clint shakes his head, 'release that image to the press and they won't have a bad thing to say about us all week.'

'Speaking of...' Steve mutters and fumbles to take a photo with his phone. He then gazes at it adoringly so Tony can be pretty sure his tech is proving itself.

'I am still drinking scotch,' Tony points out.

'You're a very long way from drunk,' Steve is looking at Pete adoringly.

'I wish I could fall asleep that quick,' Bruce smiles.

'He's asleep?' Tony glances down. 'Jay, what time is it?'

'It is quarter to seven, sir.'

'How much money have you spent on watches that you never look at?' Natasha shakes her head.

'Hah, don't answer that, Jay,' Tony swallows the last of his scotch. 'I'm going to put squirt to bed and see Pepper. I'll see you freeloaders around.'

'I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast?' Steve cuts in as Tony stands, being careful not to jolt his son.

Oh, right, he made Steve agree to make him breakfast all week.

'Sure,' he looks over to where Steve is giving him a look he can't decipher, 'sounds like a plan.'

'Good night, Tony,' Bruce calls.

Tony smiles and offers a sloppy salute to the group.

'Is Pepper in her room?' he asks as the lift starts moving up.

'Yes, sir.'

'Tell her I'm on the way up and that Pete's sleeping.'

'She is moving to greet your arrival,' Jarvis tells him.

The doors slide open and whatever Pepper may have been planning to say to him instead comes out as,

'Aww...'

Tony grins,

'Pepper, this is Peter Jarvis.'

'Oh, Tony,' she steps closer and touches a gentle hand to Pete's head, 'he's adorable.'

'Naturally,' Tony smirks, but feels his expression gentle as he looks at his son.

If they had only managed to get it to work between them...

'Jarvis showed me the picture he drew,' Pepper smiles, 'he's quite pleased with it.'

'Ah, leave it to my son to win over the most advanced AI in the world with a pencil drawing.'

'I stuck it to the fridge, it seemed appropriately cliché.'

Tony glances up to look and then notices the rest of the penthouse,

'Did you tidy up?'

There is a line of colourful boxes against the wall by the lift that weren't there before.

'Old habits,' she smiles at him. 'I know you, Tony.'

'You knew I'd buy several thousand dollars worth of toys and have nowhere to store them?'

'Yes,' she replies simply. 'I also had all of the clothes you bought stored in the third guest room for now and adjusted your schedule to skip the meeting in DC tomorrow.'

'That was tomorrow?' Tony wanders over to the wall to look at the boxes. 'Why am I not going to DC? I could have made it to DC. I have a jet.'

'And leave you son with someone?' Pepper does that thing where she's reminding him that neither of them are stupid. 'Or take him with you?'

'Good point,' Tony waves a hand. 'Make it a conference call; I'll sit in if I can and record it if I can't.'

'Alright,' Pepper agrees.

There's a pause where Pepper just smiles at him.

'I'll put him to bed,' Tony gestures to his room. 'Back in a few.'

It's easier than Tony ever would have guessed to brush the teeth of a nearly unresponsive three and a half year old and then wrestle him into a diaper and pyjamas. He could go straight back to Pepper, but he lingers to watch his son sleep.

'Making Ms Potts wait is unlikely to improve her mood,' Jarvis reminds him quietly.

'True,' Tony takes a breath and heads back out, 'alert me if he stirs, Jay.'

'Of course, sir.'

'You want a drink?' he calls to Pepper as he arrives back in the main room.

'No, thank you,' she sighs. 'Tony, let's just get to this; you need to tell Steve.'

'Why?' Tony rolls his eyes and pours a scotch. 'Really, Pep, what will he gain by knowing?'

'How would you feel if your positions were reversed? If you had a child that no one told you about?' Pepper scowls at him.

'Statistically that is quite likely,' Tony points out. 'The mother get's to make the choice if she doesn't want the father involved.'

'You think Steve wouldn't be a good father?'

'I think Steve has enough to be worrying about.'

There's a pause where Pepper looks sad and angry at the same time.

'Pep, it's not like we slept together and accidentally produced a baby. This isn't some unfortunate consequence that we both knew might happen; our DNA was stolen. Are you telling me you think it's ok to make a baby from someone and then expect them to deal with it? It isn't fair.'

'And you?' Pepper asks. 'You think it's fair to you?'

'I already have Pete,' Tony shrugs, 'another isn't Earth shattering. And I have money, and you, Rhodes and Jarvis.'

'You're dodging the question,' Pepper glares.

'Of course it's not fair,' Tony snaps, 'but I can deal with it. I am dealing with it.'

'Tony,' Pepper steps closer as he takes a large swallow of his scotch. 'Tony, you have to tell him.'

'Pep...'

'Tony, this is Steve we're talking about.'

'Yeah,' Tony nods, 'Steve; the guy raised to believe the only way to have a family is a man and a woman who love each other and are married. He's from the forties, Pep.'

'You know he'd 'do right' by Jim.'

'I don't want him to feel that he has to,' Tony gestures violently without spilling a drop of scotch. 'That's the point, Pep!'

'No,' Pepper scowls, 'Tony...'

'He's a damn virgin, Pepper!' Tony interrupts. 'He's been waiting for the perfect girl to come along and they'd get married and then have sex and then have All American babies and a dog or whatever. He wants that, Pepper. I can't take that from him.'

'This wasn't your fault, Tony.'

'No,' Tony agrees, 'but what happens now will be. Seriously, Pep, what would happen? Split custody? Jim spends the weeks in the penthouse and the weekends with Steve?'

'Well, you'd have to work it out between you.'

'He doesn't want this, Pepper.'

'You wouldn't have wanted this either, if I'd asked you a couple of days ago.'

'I can do this though,' Tony tells her, 'I have something of a support structure...'

'Not that you make that easy...' Pepper interrupts to complain.

'Steve doesn't know anyone outside of us and SHIELD.'

'Yes,' Pepper points at him, 'he lost everyone he knew and now you're going to keep his son from him.'

'I'm not going to keep them apart!' Tony slumps against the bar.

'You know it's not the same.'

'Really?' Tony grumbles. 'Why do people think that you care for someone more if you're related?'

'Tony, you aren't Howard, and Steve isn't Maria.'

Tony can't argue with that.

'Ok,' Pepper sighs, and pours herself some wine and tops off his scotch, 'I'll give you time to think about it.'

'I will,' Tony agrees quietly and allows himself to be towed to the sofa. Pepper curls herself against his side.

Tony has plenty enough brain power to be constantly over thinking this situation.


	10. Chapter 10

It's five to seven in the morning when Steve arrives in the communal kitchen freshly showered after his run.

He makes himself some toast and pours some orange juice before sitting down at the table to read the newspaper that he picked up while he was out.

The sound of the lift opening again and the coffee machine starting is something of a surprise.

'Good morning, Tony,' he greets the other man in confusion.

There's no response initially; Tony is operating on autopilot as he continues to work on something on his tablet. He drinks some of his coffee and finally looks up and around.

'Cap?' he looks around again. 'Jarvis, why am I not in the penthouse?'

'Your desire for caffeine did not require you to go to the penthouse.'

Tony pulls a face and then shrugs,

'Fine, what time is it?'

'Three minutes past seven.'

'Have you been awake all night?' Steve blurts.

'Hmm?' Tony had turned back to his tablet but looks up again now. 'Yeah.'

'But what about Pete?'

Tony just stares at him.

'Won't you be tired?' Steve prompts.

Tony barks out a sudden laugh,

'I do this pretty regularly, sugar.'

Does Tony realise he saves all his sweetest nicknames for Steve?

'Well, ok,' Steve's flustered look is hidden when Tony just looks back down at his work. 'When do you want breakfast?'

'Whenever Pete wakes up,' Tony replies. 'Jarvis, bump it up half a percent and run the numbers again.'

'Additional strain to outer plating that would become disastrous at high altitudes,' Jarvis deadpans.

'Yeah, sure,' Tony nods, 'so increase outer plating thickness by a millimetre.'

'Additional weight will increase thrust requirements by...'

'Jay, you're such a ray of fucking sunshine.'

'Will Ms Potts be joining us for breakfast?' Steve asks.

'Probably,' Tony agrees as he flicks his fingers a few times. 'Enlarge, Jarvis,' a hologram appears between them which hopefully makes more sense to Tony than it does to Steve.

'Does she like waffles?'

'Everyone likes waffles,' Tony scoffs.

'Alright then' Steve smiles.

'Are you eating?' Tony suddenly flicks his entire attention to Steve.

'Yes?' Steve agrees.

'So waffles will be your,' Tony grins, 'second breakfast?'

'I get that reference,' Steve manages not to stick out his tongue. 'Clint showed me that movie and I'm much too tall to be a hobbit.'

'Hah,' Tony's still grinning at him, 'guess you are.'

Steve just smiles and turns back to his food.

The light show hovering over the table is a little distracting.

'What are you working on?' Steve asks as Tony continues to flick things around over his plate.

'Escape pod,' Tony mutters and moves something over.

'To escape what?'

'The tower.'

Steve waits but Tony doesn't elaborate.

'Sir, Peter is beginning to stir.'

'Right...' Tony replies distractedly and there's the smallest of pauses before his head snaps up, 'Right! Yes, ok.'

Steve smiles affectionately,

'I'll come up with you.'

'Yeah,' Tony's already heading for the lift. 'Save that, Jay.'

The lift starts upwards without them saying anything and Tony runs a hand through his hair. At the penthouse he's off and down the corridor towards his bedroom almost before the doors have opened all the way.

Steve takes in the colourful boxes along the way and moves to the kitchen.

'Oh,' that wasn't polite, 'sorry, good morning Ms Potts. I was going to make waffles?'

Pepper smiles at him across her tablet where she's sitting at a new round dining table,

'Call me Pepper,' she shifts her gown around her shoulders.

'Sure, ma'am,' Steve agrees and then his eyes widen, 'I mean Pepper.'

'You're sweet,' Pepper smiles at him.

'So I've been told,' Steve shakes his head and moves to the fridge, he smiles at the drawing stuck to the door. 'Would you like another coffee?'

'No, thank you,' she's watching him. 'Steve, I just want to thank you for looking out for Tony. He doesn't have many friends he can rely on for this sort of thing.'

'Oh, it's no problem, ma'a... Pepper,' he gets out the ingredients. 'Tony's great and Peter's amazing. I'm a little jealous really.'

'Jealous,' Pepper smiles, 'you'd like a family?'

'Yes, ma'am,' he smiles back before shrugging helplessly, 'sorry, Pepper. It's... It just seems nice, you know?'

'I do,' she's watching him like Natasha watches a target. Is it a woman thing?

'Look who's here Pete,' Tony reappears with his son freshly dressed and perched on his hip.

'Cap,' Pete beams at him.

'Hey, Pete,' Steve returns his smile.

'Pete, this is Auntie Pepper,' Tony adds. 'She organises your Dada's life.'

'Hello, sweetie,' Pepper stands up and moves to Tony. 'I brought you this,' she offers him a soft blue blanket.

'A blanky?' Tony cocks his head. 'I didn't think of that.'

Pete takes the blanket and pulls it to his chest as he tucks himself closer to Tony.

'It's alright, buddy,' Tony presses his cheek to his son's head.

'I want to stay with you.'

'You are staying with me,' Tony tells him. 'Look, Pepper got us a Pete sized chair! When did this arrive?'

He looks over his new table with four chairs, one of which has a booster cushion.

'Three thirty this morning,' Jarvis reports. 'I supervised the installation.'

'That's why Jarvis is our favourite, Pete,' Tony declares expansively.

'You're too kind, sir,' if Jarvis had eyes he'd clearly be rolling them. Tony just laughs.

'Here, Tony,' Steve waves him to a chair, 'coffee for you and milk for Pete.'

'My saviour,' Tony sits beside his son and pulls his coffee to his chest.

'Is that... an image of the arc reactor on the blanket?' Steve tries to get a better look without pulling it away from Pete.

'Yes,' Pepper sits down on Tony's other side. 'I had it commissioned.'

'Like Dada,' Pete pipes up, looking at his blanket.

'That's right,' Pepper agrees, 'like your Dada.'

'Do things always happen that quickly if you drop the name Stark?' Steve asks.

'Generally,' Tony grins at him.

Steve shakes his head with a smile and turns back to making breakfast.

'Tony, your conference call is at eleven,' Pepper gestures with her tablet. 'We should have the numbers in from California this afternoon and you know the Gala is a week tomorrow?'

'I'm not so interested in California's numbers as Florida's,' Tony replies. 'I want to know why they're behind.'

'Only by a day,' Pepper turns back to her tablet.

So much of this conversation makes no sense to Steve.

'Do I have a new suit for the Gala?'

'Yes, sir,' it's Jarvis that replies. 'It will arrive on the day in question.'

'I'm going to need Cap to come,' Tony adds. 'Get him a suit too.'

'Do I get a say?' Steve glances over his shoulder.

'No,' Tony smirks at him. 'I can't leave Pete with anyone so he'll have to come, so you'll have to be there to look after him.'

'Why do I need a suit if I'll be out the back playing with Pete?'

'Please,' Tony scoffs but doesn't respond further.

'Here,' Steve turns around with a plate stacked high with waffles, 'help yourselves.'

'Thank you, Steve,' Pepper smiles as Tony takes two from the top for his son before taking some for himself.

'Sir, the work force will arrive within the hour to install the carpet in Peter's room.'

Tony nods and takes a large swallow of coffee,

'We'll be out of here by then. Make sure they know they can help themselves to the kitchen.'

They eat in silence for a while.

'Will you be staying long, Pepper?' Steve asks.

'I'll be here for a few weeks,' Pepper tells him. 'Being in the same place as Tony means we can get some things sorted and I was planning to attend the Gala anyway.'

'And of course Pete has nothing to do with it,' Steve teases her nervously.

She laughs,

'He is the perfect excuse,' she admits with a fond glance at the boy. 'I do have a meeting of my own today though, so I'll have to leave you boys to it.'

'Don't do anything I wouldn't do,' Tony advises her.

'I plan to be quite a lot more restrained than that,' she stands up. 'Will that be all, Mister Stark?'

'That'll be all, Ms Potts,' they smiles affectionately at each other and Pepper goes so far as to press a kiss to Tony's hair before she retreats to her room.

'Will you go back to the workshop today, then?' Steve asks.

'I'm on a roll with the escape pod,' Tony nods. 'I have a few things to do this afternoon and that call at eleven. Can you have Pete for me for a few hours? I should really speak to those guys in DC.'

'Of course!' Steve may have been a little eager with that response. 'I could take him to the assault course a few floors down? It's basically a jungle gym...'

Tony laughs,

'Sure.'

'Is that alright, Pete?' Steve smiles. 'You can come and play with me when your Dada has his meeting?'

Pete glances at his father and swallows his mouthful of waffle,

'I like Cap.'

'Great,' Tony smiles at him. 'You know you can always tell Jarvis if you need me and I'll come straight there, ok?'

Pete nods and smiles a little shyly at Steve,

'Ok.'

'Perfect,' Tony claps his hands together. 'Few hours until then, but we still need to get out of here.'

'Pete can pick out some toys and we could go to my floor?' Steve suggests as he gets up to load Tony's dishwasher.

'Alright,' Tony agrees. 'Come on, Pete, let's see which boxes Auntie Pepper put everything in.'


	11. Chapter 11

An hour later Steve is watching in mixture of amusement and faint horror as the two Starks pull apart one of the brand new, very expensive looking, six-wheeled remote controlled cars and gaze at the inner circuitry. That this is happening on his living room rug makes it all the more surreal.

'There,' Tony points as his son looks on in fascination, 'the belt will slip... But if we put this on here...' Tony seems to always know where to find a tool box.

'You fixed it?' Pete asks, wide eyed.

'Nearly,' Tony nods, 'need your help though, squirt, put your finger there to hold the wires back for me?'

The look of concentration on Pete's face is truly adorable.

Steve has to take a photo.

'There,' Tony sits back, 'we fixed it.'

Pete grins.

Tony snaps the plastic chassis back onto the car and turns it on as he hands Pete the remote,

'Have a go.'

The car shoots forwards and crashes into the wall before rebounding, righting itself, and zooming off to run straight into Steve's side table. The table gracefully topples to the floor as the car speeds on.

'Whoops,' Tony's grinning, 'let's turn the speed down,' he adjusts a dial and the car is suddenly under control. 'Sorry, Cap.'

Steve just shakes his head with a laugh,

'I should have expected it as soon as you got out the screwdriver.'

'It's like you know me,' Tony grins up at him.

'Why do I have the ominous feeling that my entire life is going to be defined by a series of badly thought out decisions prompted by Starks?' mentioning Howard even vaguely is something of a risk.

It pays off when Tony just laughs,

'Oh, Cap, you have no idea...'

'Well, it's all worked out so far, I suppose,' Steve picks his table back up.

'You think so?' Tony is smiling but his gaze seems just a little too intense.

'Sure,' Steve feels his own smile falter. 'I don't know how things would have played out if I hadn't become...' he waves towards his body vaguely, 'but I'd like to think I helped.'

'I meant for you personally,' Tony shrugs, 'here and now. You're ok with being in the future?'

Steve keeps his gaze and tries to puzzle out what Tony's actually asking. A remote control car humps his leg before flipping over and moving back across the floor. Tony's biting his lip against laughing at him.

'I blame you for this,' Steve informs him and sits cross legged on his couch and out of the reach of Pete's car.

'That's fair,' Tony grants him.

'I like it here,' Steve tells him as they watch Pete bump the car randomly into everything Steve owns. 'I've made friends now.'

Tony's expression turns serious again,

'I hope so. I'd give you anything you need to make it easier.'

Steve nods,

'I know, Tony. You're a good friend. How I reacted when we first met was...'

'Hey,' Tony climbs off the floor to side beside him, 'you can't take all the blame for that.'

'I can,' Steve shrugs and looks down. 'You were teasing me, but there was no reason for me to think you were being malicious.'

Tony leans against his arm,

'Hey, all's forgiven, sweetheart.'

It's wonderful and terrifying how tactile Tony can be without thinking.

'Alright,' Steve smiles and nudges Tony with his arm, 'thanks, Tony.'

The car crashes into the wall.

'Pete, do you know how to steer your car?' Steve asks.

'Yes,' large brown eyes blink up at him.

'So, you just enjoy crashing into things?' he grins.

'It's meant to,' Pete tells him. 'It flips, see?' The car drives into the sofa and flips itself over to move off again in the opposite direction.

'Right,' Steve smiles and watches as Pete follows after the car, dragging his blanket behind him.

Crashing something just because you can is definitely a Stark thing to do.

Tony's still leaning against his side.

'Would you like a coffee?' Steve stands up.

'Sure,' Tony looks up at him.

Steve winces as the car flips itself over against his ankle.

'Sorry, Cap,' Tony doesn't sound, or look, sorry.

'At least it can't fly,' Steve shrugs as he dodges around Pete and into his kitchen.

'Hear that Pete?' he can hear Tony's grin in his tone. 'Cap has an idea for an upgrade!'

Steve contemplates slamming his head repeatedly into his kitchen cupboard.

'Upgrades can only be worked on and tested in the workshop!' Steve calls back.

He hears a scoff,

'That's where the best toys are anyway.'

'Would it still flip?' Pete has his priorities straight.

'Yeah, we could do that,' Tony sounds distracted. 'Micro-repulsors in each corner on both sides...'

'Tony, can you please not plan to put advanced weapons on a child's toy?' Steve calls.

'My Iron Man suit isn't a weapon,' Tony replies promptly.

'Whatever you say,' Steve sighs

'Sir, Ms Potts is suggesting you prepare yourself for your meeting,' Jarvis announces as Steve re-enters his living room with their drinks.

Tony is still sprawled on Steve's sofa in his clothes from the day before,

'I bet she didn't say it was a suggestion,' Tony takes his coffee from Steve.

'She did not,' Jarvis agrees.

'Fine,' Tony stands up. 'Get someone to bring me a suit; I'll take a shower.'

'Certainly, sir.'

'When they get here with my suit can you bring it through to your room?' Tony asks.

'My room?'

'I'm borrowing your bathroom,' Tony doesn't wait for a response before leaving the room and tugging off his t-shirt as he goes.

'Sure...' Steve shakes his head and refocuses on Pete. 'Hey, buddy, would you like to do some painting?'

'Ok,' Pete drops the remote for the car and follows Steve to his dining table.

'Your Dada bought you a lot of paints,' Steve starts unpacking the blue storage box that Tony carried down with them earlier.

'Dada is the best,' Pete tells him as he kneels up on his chair.

Tony has bought everything from the paints and brushes to a plastic sheet to protect the table. Steve smiles as the first thing Pete does is pull the top off of all the different colours and dip a different finger in each one. He presses each finger to the paper.

'What are you drawing?'

'I'm not,' Pete hasn't quite managed the tone of true exasperation that Tony uses. 'I'm trying the colours.'

'Of course,' Steve smiles and then looks up as the door opens. 'Ms... Pepper?'

'I brought Tony's things,' she walks past carrying a suit bag and a small selection of toiletries. 'Is he still in the shower?'

'Yes ma'am.'

'Good, I won't be a moment,' she disappears down the hall.

Steve hears her first open his bedroom door and then the door to the bathroom. He can hear cascading water and muffled voices and then the door closes and Pepper reappears,

'Sorry for the interruption but he needs to look like Doctor Anthony E Stark, expert in electrical engineering, not Tony the privileged lazy rich boy. His charm can only take him so far,' she smiles.

'His charm takes him a long way,' Steve replies and then contemplates biting off his own tongue.

The look Pepper is giving him is, once again, assessing.

'It does,' she agrees finally. 'The meeting is at eleven; that's forty five minutes from now. Can you please make sure he is on his way to the conference room before quarter to?'

'Yes, ma'am,' Steve fights the urge to salute.

Her smile is sunny,

'You are incredibly sweet.'

There's not much he can say to that so he just smiles back.

She nods and gets back onto the lift.

Steve has noticed that Tony and Pepper never seem to need to wait for the lift; he suspects Jarvis.

Ten minutes of quiet, but messy, finger painting later Tony returns, dripping wet, with a towel around his waist,

'Very good, Pete,' he praises his son, 'where'd Pepper put my stuff?'

'In my bedroom,' Steve refuses to watch the path of a water droplet as it slides down Tony's collarbone and then down across the arc reactor and... beyond.

Luckily Tony doesn't seem to notice as he's found Steve's coffee from earlier. Once he's finished that, he presses a quick kiss to his son's head and heads back to Steve's room.

'Why do you stare at Dada?'

Steve whips his head back around, realising he's been staring at an empty doorway for a couple of minutes,

'I...' big brown eyes that are identical to Tony's gaze up at him. 'I like your Dada,' Steve tells him, 'I just like seeing him around.'

Pete seems to consider that,

'Is that why Dada wants you to watch me? Because he likes me?'

Steve can't be certain, but that sounds like quite an impressive bit of reasoning for a three and a half year old,

'Yes,' Steve tells him. 'He wants to make sure you're always safe.'

'Because he likes me?' he asks quietly.

Steve's heart breaks,

'Of course he likes you,' he voice comes out a little broken, he clears his throat. 'Pete, your Dada adores you, ok?'

'I do what?' Tony's fixing one of the cuffs on his shirt, which isn't buttoned all the way, with a tie hanging loosely around his neck.

How does someone make themselves that gorgeous so effortlessly?

'You like me,' Pete smiles.

Steve sees the tiny flicker of pain that races across Tony's face,

'Peter,' Tony replies seriously and crosses to crouch beside his son, indifferent to the mess the boy's fingers could make of his suit, 'Pete, baby, I love you.'


	12. Chapter 12

'Jarvis,' Pepper pinches the bridge of her nose once the doors to Steve's floor have closed, 'can you check if Rhodey would be available to speak to me?'

'Of course, Ms Potts,' there's a small pause. 'Colonel Rhodes is currently playing a game on his phone; I suspect he is not too busy to talk.'

'Tower defence games again?' she asks as Jarvis puts her through.

'Jarvis, stop ratting me out,' Rhodey laughs. 'Hey, Pepper. How's the mad house?'

'That's what I need to speak to you about,' Pepper smiles at him so he doesn't worry. 'I need you to come home.'

'What's he done?' Rhodey sighs but Pepper can see he's worried.

'He's...' she pauses and gets off the lift at the penthouse as she considers her wording. 'I think there's a situation arising that could be quite... catastrophic.'

'Catastrophic,' Rhodey repeats dryly. 'For us, Tony, the public or SI?'

'Mainly Tony,' she settles onto the sofa.

'What's he done?'

Pepper sighs,

'Ok, you know he has a little boy and another on the way?' she waits for him to nod. 'The first, Peter, is a clone of Tony himself but the second, who he's going to call Jim, is biologically Tony and Steve's.'

'Steve?' Rhodey stares at her, 'Steve from the forties, Captain America Steve?'

'Yes. And Tony hasn't told him because he doesn't want Steve to feel like he's trapped into looking after a child with Tony that neither of them planned for.'

'And you want me to smack him over the back of the head,' Rhodey rolls his eyes and nods.

'Well, yes,' Pepper smiles. 'But I'm sure one of his main reasons, which he hasn't actually admitted to, is that he thinks Steve will want to take the baby.'

'Valid concern,' Rhodey wrinkles his nose, 'but doesn't he have a pack of lawyers that probably need some exercise?'

'It's not a valid concern,' Pepper shakes her head. 'This is where things get messy. I can't be certain, because he always acts a little strangely around me, but I think Steve is crushing on Tony.'

'You're kidding.'

'I might be wrong,' Pepper allows. 'People hero worship Tony all the time and Steve doesn't have that many friends.'

'But if you're right...'

'If I'm right this entire situation could...'

'So you want me to tell Tony to ask out Captain America?' Rhodey sounds a little hysterical.

'No!' Pepper can't stop herself rolling her eyes.

Men...

'What then?'

'I need you to come home and monopolise Tony's time,' Pepper sighs.

'Why?'

'Because if this is a passing crush for Steve then this is a terrible time for it to manifest.'

'Because given half a chance Tony will fall for him, and fall hard, but probably still not tell him the truth,' Rhodey groans.

'If he sleeps with Steve without telling him about Jim then their personal and professional relationships will be irretrievable,' Pepper concludes.

'How does this bullshit always happen to Tony?'

Pepper can't help but laugh,

'It will be good to see you again; Tony's missed you.'

'Yeah, well, I am awesome,' he smiles back. 'It'll be good to be back. I'll tell the brass that I have a Stark situation to deal with; they'll give me three weeks, no questions asked.'

'Great, thank you.'

'Hey, he's my stupid genius friend too! I'll see you tomorrow.'

Pepper signs off,

'Jarvis, is Tony ready for his meeting?'

'Very nearly,' the AI hedges.

How anyone can ever meet Jarvis and think for a second he is anything but as stubbornly loyal as his creator is beyond her.

'How is he, Jarvis?' she asks quietly.

'Sir is well, Ms Potts,' she knows from his tone that Jarvis hasn't pretended to misunderstand the question. 'His main concern at this time is Master Peter as the child fully reflects how sir, himself, was at that age.'

'Of course,' Pepper almost wishes it were a socially acceptable time to drink.

'He seems oblivious to Captain Rogers' attentions,' the AI adds.

'Jarvis, you monitor everything in the tower,' Pepper bites her lip. 'Does that fully include the floors that aren't Tony's?'

'Yes,' Jarvis replies simply. 'Several of the inhabitants of the tower... may believe they have disabled monitoring functionality within their spaces; they are incorrect.'

'Do you know if Steve actually wants to be with Tony?'

'I am not certain. Captain Rogers displays love struck behaviours, such as spending much time with sir, drawing his features from memory and acting protective towards him against SHIELD. However he has not been vocal whilst masturbating so I...'

'Jarvis,' Pepper laughs, 'please don't ever let Steve know you told me that.'

'No,' Jarvis agrees. 'I believe only you and sir are comfortable knowing everything I am capable of.'

'You won't tell me how Tony feels will you?' Pepper asks already knowing the answer.

'Sir is my primary concern,' Jarvis reverts to sounding like a computer when he doesn't want to talk.

'I appreciate how you protect him, Jarvis,' she nods understandingly.

'Sir has reached the conference room,' Jarvis adds.

'Jarvis,' Pepper considers her words so she doesn't offend the AI, 'you're keeping an eye on Peter?'

'The only being on this planet with more active surveillance is sir,' Jarvis confirms. 'I will keep him safe.'

'Good,' she smiles. 'Keep me updated on Rhodey's eta?'

'Of course, Ms Potts.'

* * *

Steve can see the reluctance Tony's feeling as he fixes his tie,

'The meeting shouldn't be more than a few hours,' Tony looks to where his son is painting again. 'I'll be back soon after. He'll need food before then...'

'Tony,' Steve interrupts with a smile, 'we'll be fine. I'll make lunch and make sure he has a nap. If we need anything I'll ask Jarvis to alert you.'

'Right,' Tony nods, looking more uncertain than Steve has ever seen him. 'He never told me, you know? Howard never told me if he...'

'You're CEO,' Steve adds gently when Tony trails off, 'you're the one that told me that means you can skip meetings.'

Tony nods,

'No, I need to know how their experiment worked. Our entire roll out plan for arc reactor power depends on it.'

Steve watches him silently for a moment,

'I don't know what Howard became while I was in the ice...' he hesitates when Tony's gaze snaps to him. 'I don't know how he could have... You aren't Howard. Your sons will know their Dada loves them.'

'Right,' Tony gazes at him and then gives a quick nod. 'Thanks, I'll see you later.'

One final glance to his son and Tony gets onto the lift.

Steve moves to sit with Pete at the table and watches him painting what looks like it must be him and Tony working on his car.

'Dada is working now?' Pete looks up at him.

'Yes,' Steve smiles. 'He has a meeting; he'll be back later.'

'I made a picture for Dada,' Pete puts down his brush.

'I'll put it over here so it can dry,' Steve lifts the wet paper carefully.

'Ok,' Pete watches him before turning to a fresh sheet of paper. 'I like painting.'

'Yeah?' Steve sits back down beside him. 'Me too.'

Pete pushes some paper towards him and looks up shyly,

'You should paint too.'

'Ok,' Steve agrees, 'what should I paint?'

'You like Dada too,' Pete tells him. 'You should paint a picture for Dada.'

Well there's some logic for you.

'Alright,' Steve agrees and tries to imagine Tony's face if Steve presented him with a painting.

Actually, knowing Tony, he'd probably pin it up in the foyer of the building and point it out to everyone he could.

Steve starts painting an Iron Man suit with a child's proportions; Tony should get a kick out of it.

'I'm painting Captain America,' Pete tells him.

'It's good,' Steve smiles as he looks at the blue figure holding a shield. 'He needs a head though.'

'I need yellow for the head,' Pete tells him.

'Captain America's cowl is blue,' Steve replies.

Pete looks up at him, looking confused,

'Your hair is yellow.'

Steve feels himself breaking into a bright grin,

'Right, of course you're right.'

Pete seems happy with that answer.


	13. Chapter 13

After eating Pete settles against Steve's chest and tucks his head under his chin,

'Where's Dada?'

'Your Dada is working,' Steve rubs his back. 'Time for a nap, Pete.'

Pete nods against Steve's neck.

Steve presses a kiss to the boy's forehead and scoops up his blanket from the floor,

'Shall we take your blanky with us?'

He nods again and hugs it when Steve hands it over.

It's so hard to imagine that this nervous little boy could ever become Tony Stark as he knows him now.

'Ok,' Steve walks across the room. 'Don't worry; your Dada hasn't gone far. Jarvis, what's Tony doing right now?'

'Sir is arguing the relevance of what appears to be an anomalous data point,' Jarvis replies.

'Is he winning?' Steve smiles.

'Of course,' Jarvis sounds smug.

'I want Dada,' Pete nuzzles his face into Steve's neck.

'I know you do,' Steve's heart can't take this. 'By the time you wake up your Dada should be back, ok?'

'K...'

Steve puts Pete into the bed in his own room, makes sure he isn't too close to the edge and that he has his blanket. He presses a kiss to his forehead and crouches by the bed for a minute making sure Pete is definitely asleep.

'Jarvis, you'll tell me if he needs anything?'

'Of course, Captain.'

Steve smiles and quietly exits the room, leaving the door ajar.

* * *

Tony rolls his shoulders and scrolls down the numbers again,

'Does anyone know why power output is dropping in the evenings?'

Nobody answers which is really an answer in itself.

'Whatever,' Tony drops his tablet and looks at the screen showing the other members of his meeting.

'The numbers are very promising, Mister Stark,' one of the men says.

'Of course they are,' Tony mutters to himself. 'We knew they'd be good. I just want to know what's affecting the data set.'

'Sir,' Jarvis chimes in and instantly has Tony's full attention.

'Yes, Jay?' he's half out of his seat.

'Your night team are transmitting their report for their data set.'

'What the hell took them so long?' Tony grins and grabs his tablet back up. 'Get them in on this call.'

'Of course,' Jarvis confirms.

'Mister Stark,' a woman appears in a new hologram, 'I'm so sorry for the delay.'

'Hmm...' Tony waves a hand dismissively as he pours over the new data. 'Jay, let's get the data side by side.'

The other members of the night team have joined the meeting and are discussing the output values with their counterparts but Tony tunes them out.

This is all he needs to get the roll out going, he grins, soon all his facilities can be on arc reactor power. After that he can start supplying energy to other nearby facilities and beyond.

'Alright,' Tony knows he's grinning, '100% bonuses all round and put meals out on your expenses for your whole teams,' the people who haven't worked with him before are now stuttering. 'Jay! Press conference time!'

'Of course, sir,' Jarvis has probably already drafted a press release. 'Will the press room on the tenth floor in half an hour be adequate?'

'Do it,' Tony agrees. 'Let's get this ball rolling. Send messages to all our other teams; they need to start planning for the switch over. We'll alternate between east and west and work our way north.'

'But Mister Stark! The variations in power output are surely concerning?'

'No, no,' Tony waves a hand and Jarvis brings up the data in question in a graph and overlays it with indications of usage and power preservation, 'it's all explained. It's designed to match power requirements which reduce over night; I admittedly didn't expect it to drop quite so low, but I guess Stark Tower stays busier over night than you do.'

He gets up from the table,

'Anything to add?'

'You're a genius,' someone blurts.

Tony grins,

'Yes. Yes I am.'

* * *

'Ms Potts,' Jarvis interrupts Pepper from reading a budget request from one of the software development teams.

'Yes, Jarvis?'

'I thought you may wish to know sir has called for press conference in half an hour.'

'For the data from the other arc reactor prototype?' Pepper puts down her tablet. 'The numbers were that good?'

'The numbers exceeded everyone's expectations, except sir's and my own, of course.'

'Of course,' Pepper laughs, 'where is he?'

'With you momentarily,' Jarvis replies.

True enough Tony steps from the lift a minute later,

'Pepper! Did Jay tell you the good news?' he's already down the corridor to his bedroom so she follows him. 'Everything's good, Pep, we can get this thing going. This time next year we should have four more facilities entirely self sufficient!'

'That's great Tony,' she can feel his enthusiasm and grins back at him as he strips off his suit. 'What was wrong with that suit?'

'I want something flashier,' he tells her as he unbuttons his pants.

'Of course you do,' she sighs and walks into his closet. 'Black or grey?'

'The dark grey,' he calls back, 'double breasted.'

'Alright,' she lifts it from the rail.

'Red or blue?' she comes out to find him wearing a shirt and holding two ties.

'Red,' she smiles and lays his suit on the bed. 'I'll get you a watch.'

'How do I look?' he grins once he's dressed.

'Like a billionaire,' she rolls her eyes fondly.

'Perfect,' Tony nods and strides off to the lift. 'Jay, how's the timing?'

'You have ten minutes but the press are already assembled,' Jarvis replies.

Pepper just laughs; she's missed the bursts of chaos that come with living with Tony Stark.

* * *

Steve hears from Jarvis that Tony's hold some sort of impromptu press conference downstairs just before Pete wakes up.

'Dada?' the little boy blinks up at Steve as he wakes.

'It's Cap,' Steve smiles down at him. 'Your Dada's just telling the world how amazing he is; he'll be back soon.'

'I want Dada,' Pete's lower lip trembles.

'Oh, Pete,' Steve pets his hair as he hugs him to his chest, 'he's just downstairs.'

'I want to go downstairs,' Pete declares. 'I want to go to Dada.'

'Well...' Steve bites his lip.

'There is space 'backstage',' Jarvis suggests, 'should you wish to wait to the side for sir to finish his announcement.'

'Yeah, ok,' Steve gets up. 'We can do that, can't we, buddy? We can wait quietly to the side to see your Dada?'

'Ok,' Pete agrees promptly.

* * *

Tony has finished announcing the roll out of the arc reactors and is taking questions from the press when it happens.

He hears a gasp to his right and turns his head in time to see his son dash across the stage to join him behind his podium. Pete wraps his arms around his leg and clings. Across the stage Steve is standing two strides out of cover with one hand uselessly outstretched.

'Ladies and gentlemen of the press,' Tony quirks an eyebrow, 'I give you Captain America,' there are flashes from their cameras. 'Super strong, tactical genius, all round good guy and,' he makes sure he's grinning at Steve, 'apparently not a great babysitter.'

'I told you before I have a documented weakness for being talked into bad decisions by Starks,' Steve looks apologetic.

'Alright,' Tony turns back to the press, 'I have a second announcement for you today, you lucky people,' he leans down and scoops his son into his arms. 'This is Peter Jarvis Stark and he's my son.'

The room falls into stunned silence.

'Say hi, Pete,' Tony presses a kiss to his son's hair.

Pete lifts his head from Tony's chest to look out across the room, Tony smirks and throws up a peace sign as the room explodes with noise and camera flashes.


	14. Chapter 14

'I'm so sorry,' Steve keeps apologising to him as they wait out of the way for the press to disperse.

'Cap, relax,' he laughs. 'It's fine; saves me the bother of calling them all in again.'

His son seems pretty unfazed by the attention and is far more interested in just hugging him.

'No harm done,' he interrupts, gesturing to Pete, before Steve can continue. 'And the first photos they have of him are with him clearly being happy to see me; should cut off many of the complaints, and having you there will have helped.'

'Sir, Ms Potts would like your input on drafting a press release. Also, would you like me to anomalously leak details of the surrogate?'

'I'm on my way and yes; like we discussed. And get some photos of me near a hospital on the internet dated over the last few months. Make them the normal 'omg it's Tony Stark!' postings and we'll see if anyone joins the dots and guesses about Jim.'

'Tony?' Steve looks so utterly lost.

'Jarvis is faking a history for Pete and Jim,' Tony tries to explain. 'Camera phone photos taken over a distance are easy to fake and he'll make it look like they were dated a while ago. If I leak the information in the right way they'll believe it's true. If I then publicly request that people stop calling up the lady that is my surrogate then they'll all be so busy trying to find her that they'll leave us alone.'

'That all sounds very complicated,' Steve blinks.

'Can't exactly tell them the truth; we might all be alright with him being a clone and Jim growing in a machine, but I hardly want everyone to know. Also it amuses me,' Tony admits with a grin. 'I'll probably have Jarvis put together some bland exposé from the surrogate and sell it to some rag; funnel the money into an adoption charity somewhere.'

Steve laughs but Tony's pretty sure he doesn't entirely understand.

He won't understand until Tony actually tells him that Jim literally has two fathers.

'Anyway,' Tony cocks his head, 'cheers for mostly looking after Pete.'

Steve looks embarrassed but at least he doesn't apologise again.

'We painted pictures for you,' Pete pats his chest with a small hand.

'Yeah?' Tony smiles at his son and shoots a glance at Steve. 'What did you paint for me?'

'I painted me and you, and you and Cap and everyone together,' Pete beams at him.

'You'll have completely decorated my fridge in no time,' Tony laughs. 'Cap, I need to go and see Pepper. Do you want to come up later for dinner? I mean, if you have plans don't worry...'

'I'd love to,' Steve beams at him and then seems to laugh at himself. 'Sorry; I just thought you'd be fed up of me by now.'

Tony shoots him a withering look and then carries Pete to the lift,

'See you later then,' he lifts his hand in a wave and his son copies him.

'Yeah,' Steve is gazing at him strangely again as the doors close between him.

* * *

'I'd like to point out,' Tony starts talking as soon as the doors open to reveal Pepper, 'that this was not my fault and, all things considered, I think I did ok.'

She rolls her eyes at him,

'Take a look,' she gestures to the TV as Pete scrambles out of his arms to go to his toys, 'the press are loving this.'

'How's it playing out?' he steps closer to read the scrolling captions.

'The initial pictures are circulating like crazy,' Pepper moves to stand beside him. 'You broke tumblr and twitter...'

'Hah,' Tony smirks.

'Looks to be mostly positive,' Pepper ignores his interruption. 'Some people are asking why they haven't seen him before but most seem happy that you haven't been shoving him into the limelight as a baby.'

'So, we're good?'

'There's speculation about his mother,' Pepper glances over to where Pete is digging out all his cars and ignoring them. 'And some photos have appeared which seem to show you near a hospital recently?'

'That's Jarvis,' Tony nods. 'He's leaking Jim's existence.'

Pepper nods,

'Remind me to remind you to tell Steve,' she pats his arm as she moves away to the coffee machine.

'Noted,' Tony sighs.

'This just in!' the reporter announces from the television. 'We have new images of Tony Stark visiting a hospital over the last couple of months! This added to reports that he has been sighted with an unknown, but heavily pregnant, blonde woman leads us to wonder if...'

'Mute,' Tony rolls his eyes. 'Blonde, Jarvis?'

'I'm sorry sir, what would be your preference for this fake woman's hair colour?'

'Don't you get snarky with me,' Tony claims the first mug from the coffee machine.

'So, what's the official line?' Pepper herds him over to the seating area.

'Surrogate,' Tony lounges while Pepper perches with a tablet on her knee. 'The same surrogate for both boys, though we aren't admitting Jim yet. We won't release her name for privacy reasons.'

Pepper is typing furiously,

'They'll want to know your relationship status.'

'They always do,' Tony shrugs. 'Single until proven guilty.'

'Nice line; they'll know that came from you,' Pepper reads back over what she's written and offers it to Tony who waves her away.

'Jay, proof read and then release,' Tony stands up and sheds his jacket and tie. 'If there's nothing else, Ms Potts, I'm heading back to the workshop.'

'That's all, Mr Stark,' she smiles. 'I'll let you know when the more serious side of the press decide to comment on the actual point of the press conference.'

'Great,' Tony rolls his shoulders. 'Come on, Pete, I have work to do.'


	15. Chapter 15

Steve appears in the penthouse shortly after Tony calls him about dinner.

'Hey,' Steve looks suitably charmed when Pete runs over to give him a hug. 'Did you get your work done?'

''Done' implies complete perfection and no future upgrades,' he tells him as he pours a beer. 'My work is never done.'

Steve laughs and comes over to claim his drink,

'Alright, do you have a working prototype?'

'It's fabricating now,' he admits. 'I'll run tests tomorrow.'

'What are we eating?' Steve follows him to the bar and lounges as Tony pours a scotch.

'Pizza,' Tony settles beside him. 'It should be here soon.'

'Was Pepper very angry?' he looks apologetic again.

'Nah,' Tony leans into his side, 'it's gone across well. Stocks have actually taken a small jump.'

'Well, I know how you love to keep your board members happy,' Steve is looking at him strangely but not moving away so Tony feels he can continue to soak up his warmth.

'I do,' Tony agrees with a smirk.

'When you referred to them as a pack of short sighted jackasses with all the forethought and technical knowhow of llamas I'm sure you meant it with the highest level of affection.'

Tony laughs easily,

'Alright you, what is this? Blackmail?'

'Yes, Tony, I feel that living in a tower controlled by an AI who's your best friend is a really sensible way of obtaining blackmail material.'

'I do have digital copies of many of sir's baby photos,' Jarvis tells him.

'I would love to see those,' Steve breaks into a grin.

'Traitor,' Tony shakes his head. 'You is now my favourite.'

'I bet you were a cute kid,' Steve smiles at him.

'See for yourself,' Tony waves a hand at Pete. 'I looked like that.'

'I know,' Steve shrugs, 'I meant how you were as a kid; obviously you looked cute.'

Tony bites his lip to keep from laughing as Steve pauses for a second and then blushes,

'I mean... because I can see Pete is cute.'

'Sure,' Tony just shakes his head with a grin.

'Shut up,' Steve laughs at his own expense and shoves Tony with his elbow.

'Mean,' Tony pouts at him.

'Sir, your food is on the way up.'

'Great, thanks Jay,' Tony claps his hands together and moves to the table. 'Come on, squirt,' he helps Pete into his chair as Steve fetches the pizza boxes.

While they eat they talk about what they did during the day. Steve, perfect specimen that he is, sits with rapt attention as Pete tells him all about using a real screwdriver to screw real screws into a scrap of wood in the workshop.

His bots are the best babysitters.

Steve also tidies up after they've eaten and puts the leftovers into a little plastic box in the fridge.

'How the hell are you single, Cap?' Tony blurts from his seat on the sofa.

'All the people Natasha tries to set me up with are either SHIELD agents or undercover SHIELD agents?'

He looks so honestly put out that Tony has to laugh at him,

'Nothing wrong with mixing business and pleasure,' Tony suggests with a smile. 'At least they'd understand what you do.'

'I guess,' Steve looks away awkwardly.

Tony is rubbish at this sort of thing.

'Not complaining though,' he grins. 'You can come round and clean up after us more often if you're single.'

Steve offers him a small smile,

'I'm feeling taken advantage of.'

'Can't have that,' Tony grins at him, 'tell me what I can do for you.'

Steve shoots him a strange look and then just laughs as he walks past Peter playing with his nerf gun and sits beside him,

'I should charge for my services.'

'I fed you,' Tony points out. 'And you live rent free in the middle of New York.'

'Yeah, but that was before I started cooking and babysitting for you so it doesn't count.'

'Umm, no,' Tony keeps a straight face as he disagrees, 'you're cooking because you lost a game. And do you really feel you can play the babysitter card when you just revealed my son to a pack of reporters?'

'I actually blame Pete for that,' Steve deadpans.

'Oh, sure, blame the kid,' Tony sighs dramatically. 'I'm going to start charging rent, Rogers. Don't you think that I won't.'

'Well, sure,' Steve nods, 'if you feel that you need to.

'Hey, Tony? Can I borrow some cash to pay my landlord?'

Tony grins easily,

'Will you pay me back with interest?'

'If you start paying me to babysit...'

'How about I quadruple your rate when Jim's born and we call it quits?' Tony offers.

'Hey, I may not be as smart as you, but I know being paid nothing four times is still nothing,' Steve pokes him in the side.

Tony laughs and gets up to refill his glass,

'Worth a try.'

'Weren't there people fitting a carpet today?' Steve asks him after a brief pause.

'Yeah, they did,' Tony agrees. 'A very tasteful light blue carpet. It, apparently, goes very well with the even lighter blue walls and the furniture that'll turn up tomorrow.'

'He'll be moving into his own room soon then?'

'Eventually,' Tony smirks. 'Why? You have intentions for my bed, Cap?'

Steve always flusters so easily but it's great how he soldiers on.

'Well, it will be a shame to have no reason to be in your room anymore; you're such a charmer in the mornings.'

'Damn right,' Tony agrees. 'You'll just have to make it your job to bring me coffee.'

'I'm guessing I'll be paid at the normal rate for that service?'

'You guess right!' Tony raises his glass in a mock toast.

'I'll pass,' Steve tells him with a small smile.

'Your loss,' Tony shrugs and returns to the sofa with his drink.

'Whatever you say,' Steve shifts in his seat as Tony sits beside him.

Tony tips his head to the side as he considers his companion.

To tease or not to tease.

He opts to just ignore it and slumps against Steve's side.

'Oh,' Steve makes a strange sound as Tony settles himself under his arm, 'hi?'

Tony ignores him,

'Jay, put something child friendly on.'

'Of course, sir,' the TV descends from the ceiling. 'Would Tangled meet with your approval?'

'Yeah, sure,' it's not like Tony has watched TV for anything other than the news or the stocks in years.

'We're... watching cartoons now?' Steve asks.

'I suspect,' Tony smirks up at him, 'that any minute now a small person will...'

He cuts himself off as Pete comes round the sofa, his eyelids at half mast, and clambers his way into his father's lap,

'Dada.'

'Hey, kiddo,' Tony press a kiss to his hair. 'Have you come to watch this film with me and Cap?'

His son doesn't reply but his eyes glue themselves to the screen.

'I'm a genius,' he tells Steve.

'Yeah,' Steve's fond look for Pete seems to be transferring to him too.

'If I fall asleep on you poke me until I make it to my room?' Tony requests as he settles himself and his son against Steve's chest.

'Sure,' Steve sounds strange.

'You're the best, Cap.'

* * *

'Tony?' his pillow is moving.

Oh. That's Steve.

He feels as he's shifted to lie on the sofa and then drifts off again.

'Tony?' the warm talking pillow is back. 'Pete fell asleep so I've gotten him changed and into bed. Do you... Umm. Are you asleep? Shall I carry you?'

Oh, why not.

Because he isn't stupid enough to encourage that sort of thinking when it comes to Steve.

'I'm awake,' he grumbles.

'Sure you are,' he opens one eye to see Steve crouching beside the sofa looking at him. 'Except for this little nap you've been awake for around thirty six hours.'

'Yeah, that's nothing,' he tells the sofa cushion. 'Ask Pepper; I've made it to fifty before and still been lucid.'

His eyes flicker closed again as a hand brushes through his hair.

'Come on,' Steve props him up into a seating position. 'I need to make sure you don't brain yourself on the way to bed.'

Perfect excuse to soak up more super soldier warmth.

Pull yourself together.

'Yeah yeah,' Tony gets to his feet and stretches. 'I'm going...'

'Are you ok from here?' Steve sounds conflicted from where he's trailed Tony to the doorway of his bedroom.

'I was going to strip to my boxers,' Tony turns to smirk at him. 'If that would meet with your approval? '

He starts unbuttoning his shirt.

'Yes, that'll be fine,' Steve blurts and then blushes. 'You know that's fine. I'm going now. See you at breakfast.'

'Goodnight, Cap,' Tony smiles.

'Goodnight, Tony,' he smiles back.


	16. Chapter 16

'Dada,' something is patting his face.

'Go away, Dummy...' he tries pressing his face further into his pillow.

'I'm not Dummy,' he gets a poke on the nose. 'I'm Pete.'

'Sure you are,' he pulls the sheet over his head.

'Dada?'

A small body burrows its way under the sheet and his arm to regain access to his face.

'Dada?' he opens his eyes to see Pete gazing at him in the gloom.

'I need to teach you to make coffee,' he informs the boy.

'Good morning, sir,' Jarvis calls. 'Captain Rogers is approaching your bedroom.'

'Wonderful,' he slumps over onto his back and pushes the covers from his face.

'Hey, Dada,' Pete beams and climbs up to straddle his stomach. He pats his chest with one small hand, 'it's day time, Dada.'

'Barely,' Tony replies.

The kid doesn't even have the decency to look anything other than wide awake.

There's a soft knock on the door before Steve pokes his head in.

'Tell me you have coffee,' Tony points a finger at him.

'I do,' Steve smiles and enters the room with a mug.

'Cap!' Pete grins and bounces on Tony's stomach in his excitement.

'Gah,' Tony groans. 'Tell me I wasn't like this as a kid?'

'I do not have the data to reach a conclusion either way,' Jarvis tells him.

'Come here,' Steve laughs as he sits on the bed by Tony's feet. Pete abandons his father in favour of Captain America.

Tony rolls over and glares at the coffee which Steve has left out of his reach.

Move to get the coffee or pull the sheet back over his head?

The coffee does smell good.

'What do you want to eat then?' Steve asks as he accepts a hug from Pete.

'Coffee first,' Tony pulls himself across the bed. 'Don't even tell me what the time is.'

'It's not that bad,' he can hear that Steve is trying not to laugh. 'Just quarter to seven.'

'I said don't tell me,' Tony sits up enough to drink his coffee.

Steve laughs because he's a terrible person.

'Come on, Pete,' his son is lifted onto Steve's hip as he stands. 'Let's get you dressed and leave your Dada to caffeinate.'

* * *

Steve makes scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast and a full jug of coffee.

Tony arrives freshly showered and shaved as Pete finishes his food. Steve immediately holds up the coffee jug as an offering and Tony makes a happy noise in his throat as his mug is refilled.

He could get used to this morning routine.

'Where's Pepper?' he asks as Tony drinks.

'No idea,' Tony shrugs. 'Jarvis?'

'Ms Potts is collecting Colonel Rhodes from the airport,' Jarvis reports.

'Rhodey?' Tony jolts upright and just beams, 'Rhodey's here?'

'His flight should be landing shortly,' Jarvis confirms.

'That's great!' Tony's still grinning. 'Cap, Pete, you can finally meet my other best friend and the guy that should definitely be your favourite uncle.'

'I'm not in the running?' Steve fakes a pout.

'You're not his uncle,' Tony's looks a little pained, 'you're Cap.'

Well, that makes the normal Tony amount of sense.

'I was only joking, Tony,' he looks away to check on Pete.

'Yeah,' Tony isn't looking at him either. 'Look, Steve, there's something I...'

'Hey,' Steve spots Pete opening the liquor cabinet under the bar, 'hey, no! Pete, no!'

There's the sound of breaking china behind him and things go a little insane.

Tony is suddenly between him and Pete, and two gun turrets have descended from the ceiling to aim at him.

* * *

His blood is pounding in his ears as he pulls short gasps of air into his lungs,

'Don't,' he hears himself as if from a distance, 'don't...'

He keeps his arm outstretched in front of him, palm out, and tries the blink his way through the haze in his vision.

There's shouting and he never knows what it is he does wrong.

'Tony?'

He tries to stop her, sometimes, but it always ends up hurting more.

'Don't!' he shouts.

If he watches though... There's still pain, but at least there's no surprise when it comes.

'Sir?'

Disappointment and shouting and pain. The only variable is the intensity.

The figure in front of him has their hands up and has backed away.

'Sir?'

Jarvis? That's Jarvis...

'Jay?' he finally drags in a halfway decent breath.

'Sir, Captain Rogers does not appear to be a threat at this time?'

He blinks again and it's Steve in front of him.

'Steve?' his voice sounds broken.

'Tony,' he's glancing at the gun turrets, 'God, Tony, do you really think I'd hurt him?'

'Fuck,' Tony drops his hand and leans forwards against his knees. 'Fuck, I thought this had stopped... Fuck.'

'Dada?' oh, great, Pete just watched him completely loose his mind.

'Hey, kid,' he manages to straighten up but he can feel himself trembling.

'Dada?' he's at his side with his arms in the air wanting to be picked up.

'I'm fine,' he lifts his son into a hug and presses his face into his hair. 'I'm fine.'

'I'll go,' he looks up to see Steve looking devastated.

'No,' he blurts, 'wait. It wasn't you. I don't think you'd... I just... You sounded just like Maria. I mean my mother. Her tone whenever she... When she was about to... I'm sorry. It wasn't you. Please don't go.'

Steve looks massively conflicted.

He takes a deep breath,

'I'm sorry. Especially for the guns. Jarvis, fuck, stand down. I appreciate it, buddy, but let's not shoot him, ok?'

'Of course, sir,' the guns retract.

Another deep breath.

'Do you want me to go?' Steve asks but takes a step forwards, his hand twitching towards him.

He's shaking his head wordlessly and remembering that night he called the suit on Pepper.

'It's alright,' Steve another step towards him. 'You're alright, Tony. Just breathe.'

He nods, his gaze still fixed on the other man as he hugs his son.

Pete leans back in his arms and pats his chest,

'Dada?'

'I'm fine,' he summons a smile. 'Everything's fine.'

'Did I do something bad?' Pete gazes up at him.

'No,' Tony swallows. 'No, you weren't bad. You're not in trouble. Just don't go in that cabinet again, it's got lots of glass bottles in it, ok?'

'Ok,' Pete gazes up at him.

'You want to go and play, squirt?' Tony glances at Steve and lets his son down.

'Ok,' Pete smiles at him for a moment then goes to his toy boxes.

'I'm sorry,' Tony tells Steve again. 'I thought I was past having...'

'It's fine,' Steve has gotten even closer.

'Jarvis nearly shot you!'

'No he didn't,' Steve disagrees. 'He backed you up but he never would have shot me.'

'I'm such a mess...' he rakes his finger through his hair and that's apparently Steve's breaking point.

He's tugged against warm, solid muscle and hugged.

'You're not,' Steve almost growls.

He sighs and wraps his arms around Steve's waist,

'Hey.'

'Hey,' Steve murmurs into his ear. 'Do you want to talk about it?'

'Nope.'

'Do you want me to shut up and just keep hugging you?'

'Talk, please,' Tony doesn't beg. He sighs and closes his eyes as his head rests against Steve's chest, 'Say something Captain America-y; recite the constitution or something.'

'Ok...' there's a small pause. 'Not all of us can storm a beach, or drive a tank, but there's still a way all of us can fight.'

'Oh my god...'

'Series E defence bonds: each one you buy is a bullet in the barrel of your best guy's gun.'

Tony leans back far enough to stare into Steve's face.

'We all know this is about trying to win the war. We can't do that without bullets and bandages, tanks and tents. That's where you come in,' he summons up a winning smile to emphasise his speech. 'Every bond you buy will help protect someone...'

'You still have this shit memorised?' Tony interrupts with something resembling a smile.

Steve huffs a breath,

'It was the most Captain America-y thing I could think of without breaking into song. And it made you smile so...'

Tony pulls away from him fully this time and scrubs a hand across his face.

'Do you need anything?'

Tony just shakes his head and doesn't meet Steve's gaze,

'I'm fine.'

He can practically feel how Steve isn't convinced. In the edge of his vision he can see Steve trying to catch his eye so he fixes his gaze on his son instead. He's lining up cars, probably ready to send them all shooting across the room.

'What do you need me to do?' Steve asks again.

Tony realises he has one hand pressed to his arc reactor and his other arm is hugged around his waist.

He forces both arms to his sides.

'Tony?' Steve takes a step closer.

He sways towards Steve before he realises what he's doing.

Steve pulls him back into a hug that has his face tucked against the bare skin of his friend's neck.

He lets out a long sigh as Steve pets his hair and slumps against him, knowing his weight is nowhere near enough to knock the soldier from his feet.

'Hey,' he may allow himself to press his nose against Steve's skin.

He must be allowed a free pass when he's just had a panic attack, and Steve doesn't normally read anything into his overly tactile nature.

'Hey,' he can feel Steve's voice vibrating his nose.

Ok, he may have just nuzzled Steve's neck.

Time to pulls away again before he can take any more liberties

'I'm just going to play with Pete until Rhodey gets here,' Tony rallies enough to throw up his media smile. 'You can go polish your shield or whatever.'

'Oh,' Steve looks confused and then gives him a wonky smile. 'Ok, I'll see you later then?'

'Sure,' he goes to sit with Pete and doesn't let himself watch Steve go.


	17. Chapter 17

Steve takes the lift down as far as the communal floor and then sets about preparing the massive batch of coffee for when the others start arriving.

'Is anyone else awake, Jarvis?' Steve asks quietly.

'Agent Romanov shall be coming up shortly,' Jarvis replies promptly. 'Agent Barton is unlikely to wake in the next hour, but seems strangely fond of coffee that is... past its best. Doctor Banner is asleep, but his alarm is set for 8am, which is in fifteen minutes time. Prince Thor is, as far as I am able to tell, still off world.'

'I'll set the machine running then,' Steve fusses with their mugs for a minute and then checks, again, that he's put in enough beans.

'Captain,' Jarvis breaks the silence, 'may I speak with you?'

Steve looks up in surprise,

'Of course you can. What's on your mind?'

'You seem troubled. There is little I can do to reassure you, but sir is ok.'

Steve nods,

'I wouldn't have left if I thought he wasn't.'

'Sir appreciated your presence, even if he did not say so,' Jarvis adds.

'Yeah?' Steve laughs dubiously. 'I'm not sure I was very helpful. You talked him down.'

'You were of far more help than some,' Steve doesn't question the censor in Jarvis' tone.

'I scared him,' Steve sighs and sits at the kitchen island. 'Will he even want me around Pete anymore?'

'Captain,' Jarvis pauses before continuing, 'sir rebounds from these episodes very quickly. I do not believe his desire to be alone is due to any fear of you.'

'You think so?' Steve smiles hopefully.

'If he feared you,' Jarvis replies, matter-a-factly, 'I would have shot you.'

'Reassuring,' Steve laughs, 'thanks.'

'You are welcome, Captain,' Jarvis would clearly be smirking if he could.

Steve sits in silence for a bit and his mood sobers again,

'Is he ok, Jarvis? I mean with everything that's happened to him in the last week, is there more I can do?'

'What you have been doing is sufficient,' Jarvis replies. 'Anything extra that you might do can only be at sir's request; he does not appreciate what he would see as meddling.'

'You were telling me something before,' Steve remembers. 'Something that you didn't want Tony to know you were telling me?'

'I was attempting to hint towards what you have just discovered,' Jarvis agrees. 'Sir had one parent who neglected him, one who actively abused him and a parent-like mentor who tried to kill him; he is unlikely to trust his son with many people.'

'He's only ever left Pete with me,' Steve realises.

'Yes, Captain.'

'That's... He really trusts me, huh?'

'He is trying.'

'I didn't think...' Steve's mind races. 'I mean, I knew we were friends now, but until a few weeks ago I still thought he meant to be mean every time he teased me.'

'Sir occasionally apologises in strange ways,' Jarvis tells him, and then adds 'and sometimes before anyone realises he's done anything that needs apologise for.'

Steve laughs,

'Yeah, that sounds like Tony.'

'Agent Romanov's arrival on this floor is imminent.'

'Ok,' Steve gets up and goes back to the coffee machine, 'thanks.'

'Steve,' Natasha greets him as she comes in. 'I thought you were having breakfast with Stark?'

'I did,' Steve nods, 'he's getting ready to see Colonel Rhodes now.'

'Oh,' she doesn't look convinced but accepts her coffee without complaint.

'Pancakes?' Steve offers.

'Alright,' she agrees. Her expression remains pleasant but her gaze sharpens.

'We...' Steve turns his back to her as he gets out the ingredients he needs.

What can he tell her? Tony wouldn't want him to tell her the truth.

'I think I've been spending too much time with Tony,' he settles for something that is probably true.

'He can get a bit much,' Natasha agrees blandly.

'Oh, no,' he disagrees before thinking that he could just let it slide, 'it's not that.'

'No?'

'I'm jealous,' he blurts, and realises it's true.

'Of Tony or of his son?' Natasha asks.

'Of... what?' Steve turns around. 'Why would I be jealous of Pete?'

'You'd like a baby then?' she smiles innocently but her eyes are laughing.

She's teasing him.

'I would,' he agrees. 'And stop that.'

'It would be one hell of a way to pop that cherry, Rogers,' she gives him that look of hers.

'Good morning,' Bruce steps into the kitchen and eyes them both.

'Bruce,' Steve smiles, 'I'm so glad you're here. Sit, have a coffee,' he pushes a mug into his hands, 'I'm making pancakes.'

'If you think I'm going to stop talking about this just because...'

'What are you working on?' Steve talks over her. 'Anything interesting going on in the lab?'

Bruce is clearly trying not to laugh at him,

'Do you really want me to describe my experiments?'

'Do you know anyone who might be interested in hooking up with a blonde super soldier?' Natasha asks.

'Really, Natasha? Over breakfast?' Steve groans.

'I'm just trying to help you, Rogers...'

'Sure you are,' Steve shakes his head and dishes up the first batch of pancakes. 'Just eat your food.'

'I thought you'd be having breakfast with Tony,' Bruce sips at his coffee.

'I did,' Steve flips Bruce's pancakes one at a time. 'He's playing with Pete and waiting for Colonel Rhodes to arrive.'

There's a silence behind him that makes him think his team mates are exchanging a look.

'Oh, come on,' he turns around and wields a spatula at them, 'not you too, Bruce!'

Bruce smiles and shrugs apologetically,

'Sorry, Steve,' Bruce tells him, 'but we do worry that you... well... don't have that many friends.'

Steve shakes his head and turns back in time to flip the pancakes again,

'Really, I appreciate the concern, but you can't just push me at SHIELD agents and expect me to sleep with them.'

'No,' Bruce agrees, 'but as far as I know you haven't actually given any of the people Natasha has suggested a chance.'

Steve shrugs and turns to put Bruce's breakfast in front of him,

'I had enough of being set up with people I don't know for a lifetime, thanks.'

'Ask Tony out,' Natasha advises. 'Worst he can do is say no.'

'I'm not going to ask Tony out,' Steve rolls his eyes at her.

'Why?' Bruce asks innocently and then looks surprised at himself. 'Sorry, Steve, of course you don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable with.'

'I don't think we'd be a good match,' Steve summons up a smirk, 'do you?'

'I could see it,' Natasha counters.

So can Steve.

'We'd drive each other insane,' Steve laughs.

'I don't know,' Bruce shrugs, 'you've been getting along much better. Especially since Pete arrived.'

This is killing him.

'By that logic I could be dating all of you.'

'There would be far too many dicks in one bed for me,' Natasha deadpans.

'My god, the mental images,' Bruce wrinkles his nose.

'I didn't mean...' Steve knows he's blushed scarlet by now. 'Why are we friends?'

'Proximity,' Natasha smiles sweetly.


	18. Chapter 18

Tony plays with Pete until Jarvis announces Rhodey's arrival a couple of hours later. He gets up from the floor to greet the lift,

'Hey,' he offers Rhodey a grin and pulls him into a quick hug, 'it's good to see you.'

'You too,' he grins back. 'How's it going?'

'Oh, pretty normal,' Tony pulls away still grinning, 'I have a clone, I'm expecting another child with a man who doesn't know about it, Steve managed to reveal the existence of my kid to the world during a press conference on green energy, I accused Captain America of child abuse and nearly had my AI shoot him in the head.'

'I...' Rhodey stares at him.

'In other news I'm rolling out arc reactor power to all of my facilities, I think Jarvis may have bought every children's film on the planet, including the ones not in English, and I have a new Audi.'

'Tony...'

'Here, meet your nephew,' Tony grins and waves to Pete. 'Pete, meet uncle Rhodey.'

'You nearly shot... Hey there!' he cuts himself off as he greets Pete. 'It's great to finally meet you, kiddo.'

'Hi,' Pete smiles up at him. 'Dada says we can give you upgrades.'

'Upgrades, huh?'

'Yes,' Pete nods.

'I've got a software patch for you,' Tony confirms. 'And a new phone.'

'Great!' Rhodey's grin looks a little wild around the edges.

'Come on,' Tony pats him the shoulder and nudges him back to the lift. 'Let's go to the workshop.'

'Yeah!' Pete grins and jumps in ahead of them. 'I'm teaching Dummy and You to draw.'

'I just can't leave you alone, can I?' Rhodey shakes his head as they step off the lift.

'Nope,' Tony walks ahead to his workstation and Pete runs off to the bots.

'Tony, what happened?'

'Which part, honeybear?' he sighs and fiddles with a wrench he must have left on his desk.

'Let's start with nearly shooting Captain America,' Rhodey suggests.

'I had another panic attack,' Tony admits with a quick glance towards his son.

'You told me they'd stopped,' his friend scowls. 'Pepper and I were only ok with you moving back to New York because you said...'

'They did,' Tony interrupts and waves a hand dismissively. 'This had nothing to do with wormholes.'

'Alright...' Rhodey draws out the word leadingly. 'So what did he do?'

'Oh, come on,' Tony rolls his eyes, 'you look like you're gearing up to beat on him.'

'Do I need to?' he challenges. 'I have the suit.'

'No! It wasn't his fault; he told Pete not to open the cabinet under the bar and I freaked out,' Tony snaps. 'Can we drop it now?'

'And then you nearly shot him?' Rhodey presses.

'Jarvis activated the ceiling turrets,' Tony gives in. 'Kept them aimed at Steve until I told him to stand down.'

'You have ceiling turrets?'

'Don't you?'

He receives a look for that, but it's no where near as impressive as Pepper's.

'Are you two ok?' Rhodey asks after a few moments of silence.

'Me and Pete?' Tony realises how often he's glancing at his son. 'We're fine.'

'You and the Captain,' he corrects.

'Oh,' Tony blinks. 'Well, he hugged me and I nearly licked his neck.'

This results in another period of silence.

'You want to sleep with him,' Rhodey looks like he's contemplating walking out and coming back later.

'Have you seen him?' Tony scoffs. 'Can you imagine having that under you?'

Rhodey may be having some sort of seizure.

'I'm not going to!' Tony reassures him. 'That's why I had to get him to leave when I did.'

'So that you wouldn't climb him like a tree and blow his forties mind?'

'So I didn't encourage him,' Tony laughs. 'The idiot has a crush on me.'

'Captain America has a crush on you,' Rhodey groans, 'did you wish really hard?'

'I'm not going to sleep with him,' Tony tells him again. 'I know all the reasons it would be a terrible idea.'

'Right,' he doesn't look convinced. 'You do need to tell him about Jim.'

'You too?' Tony sits down and spins in his chair. 'I don't understand why you all think it's such a big deal.'

'Just tell him, Tony.'

'I was about to,' Tony admits. 'He acted a little hurt when I said you should be the favourite uncle and that he was Cap. I was going to tell him why I wasn't going to teach my kids to call him 'uncle' but then I had the...' he waves his hand. 'So I didn't.'

'Christ, Tony...'

'Yeah...' Tony tries to smile up at him. 'Timing, right?'

'Of all the guys you could trust with your kids...' Rhodey starts.

'I know,' he cuts him off. 'I know I can trust him; he's... Steve...'

'So what's the real problem, Tony? You know he's too good to ever reject the kid and he's too stubborn to get himself trapped doing something he doesn't want to do. And, bluntly, if you thought he was doing either you could just up and move across the country. Again. Or out of the country altogether.'

Tony rubs his eyes and sighs.

He does owe Rhodey the full truth.

'You know there's a difference between knowing I can trust him and actually being able to do it,' Tony absently brings up a couple of holograms and then dismisses them. 'He's my kid, Rhodey; I can't let Steve take him.'

'You just told me the guy has a crush on you, that doesn't sound like someone whose first thought will be to take your son away from you,' Rhodey points out.

'I don't necessarily mean permanently,' Tony dismisses. 'I mean to do those father son bonding things that real people do.'

'You not being real,' Rhodey replies dryly.

He gives him a hopeless look,

'What do I tell Pete?'

'What?'

'When Steve wants to take Jim out for the day?'

Why does everyone have to think so slowly?

'Oh, sorry, Pete,' he hisses at his best friend, 'no you can't play with your brother today. He's off with his father; you're just stuck with me I'm afraid.'

'You aren't telling Steve about his son because you think Pete will be jealous of his brother?'

'If I just wait,' Tony hopes he'll understand, 'then he'll love both of them, right? And then, when I tell him, he won't be able to stop spending time with Pete too.'

'Tony...' Rhodey looks pained.

'Pete deserves more than just me,' Tony points out.

How can anyone think to argue with that?


	19. Chapter 19

Steve heads to the gym after Natasha and Bruce finish their pancakes. Clint hadn't yet surfaced when he left, but that isn't overly unusual.

He changes into his workout gear and stretches as he walks over to where there's a heavy bag waiting for him. His first swing is a little wild and sets the bag trying to spin on its chain. He steadies it before resetting his stance and starting again.

Blanking his mind to think just of the next punch; just the next thump against the reinforced weave of the bag, works for a little while, but then other thoughts fight their way into his mind.

How could the man he knew back in the war have allowed his son to be so damaged?

How could anyone have a child like Tony, like Pete, and ever want to hurt them?

The bag crashes across the floor spilling its contents.

Steve rakes a hand through his sweaty hair and heaves a sigh as he catches his breath,

'Sorry, Jarvis.'

'For what, Captain?'

'Making a mess?' Steve shrugs as he gazes at the bag.

'Captain,' the AI sounds amused, 'I am able to have a little understood but active incubator, containing a live foetus, moved across the county and installed into sir's workshop without alerting SHIELD. I also avoided allowing any unauthorised access to the technology involved in the incubator or housed in said workshop. I assure you; arranging for some sand to be cleared away is not strenuous.'

'How would Tony cope without you?' Steve laughs but it's weak.

'I hope he need never find out,' Jarvis points out.

'Is he ok?' Steve heads back over to his gym bag as he starts unwrapping his hands.

'Sir is well,' Jarvis confirms. 'He is bickering with Colonel Rhodes in the workshop whilst Peter is drawing with You.'

'Good,' Steve feels himself smile. 'What's Dummy doing, then?'

'Dummy is stealing Colonel Rhodes' possessions from his abandoned coat.'

Steve cannot think of a single thing to say to that.

* * *

'Sir,' Jarvis interrupts Rhodey's nth version of _you're an amazing person, Tony, don't sell yourself short_.

As if that will convince him that Jim doesn't gain something over Pete by having Steve as a father.

'Yes, Jay?'

'Bifrost activity detected. Prince Thor is inbound.'

'Hey, great!' Tony grins. 'The gang's back together!'

'Arrival expected in three minutes,' Jarvis adds as Tony steps around Rhodey.

'Come on, Pete, time to meet an alien.'

'Ok,' his son waves goodbye to You and runs to join him in the lift.

'This is only postponing our discussion,' Rhodey points out.

'Anything you say,' Tony pats his shoulder. The lift rises to the penthouse. 'Right, Pete? I'm going to open the balcony door; you stay in here, ok?'

'Ok,' Pete agrees readily but follows him to the very threshold.

'He's yours,' Rhodey grumbles as he follows him out, 'what did you expect?'

Kind of have to accept that.

He steps further out onto his landing pad and looks across the skyline.

'On your two o'clock, sir,' Jarvis tells him.

Yep. There he is.

'My friend!' Thor strides over as soon as his feet are on the floor and grasps Tony into a bear hug. 'It is most wondrous to see you well!'

'Hey, Thor,' Tony can hardly not hug him back. 'Good to see you too. What brings you to our corner of the cosmos?'

'I came as soon as I heard your most joyous of news!' the clap to his shoulder is only enough to rock him rather than push him off the tower so Thor is trying. 'Truly! The arrival of a healthy heir must always be celebrated!'

'You get celebrity gossip on Asgard?' Tony laughs.

'Our Gatekeeper, Heimdall, keeps watch over all of the nine realms,' Thor smiles. 'I requested that he keep me apprised of the continued wellbeing of my Midgardian brothers in arms.'

'Intergalactic facebook stalking,' Tony nods and grins at Thor's confused smile. 'It's all good. Thor, this is an old friend of mine, James Rhodes. Rhodey, meet the god of thunder.'

'Hey,' Rhodey holds out a hand and Thor uses it to tug him into a hug.

'Well met, brother of my shield brother!'

Pete falls back from the doorway in awe as they approach.

'Ah, he has your likeness,' Thor beams and places his hammer just inside the door. 'Greetings, little one, I am Thor Odinson of Asgard.'

'Hello,' Pete glances to Tony, 'I'm Peter.' He pauses and tips his head as he thinks, 'I'm Peter Jarvis Stark of...' he looks at Tony beseechingly.

'Of Stark Industries?' Tony shrugs. 'Or Earth, I guess.'

'Of Stark Industries,' Pete repeats seriously.

'It is most pleasing to make your acquaintance, Peter Jarvis Stark of Stark Industries,' Thor nods solemnly. 'I have bought you a mighty gift from Asgard's vaults; one befitting the heir of so generous and noble a warrior!'

Pete smiles,

'I like you.'

'I am glad,' Thor goes to one knee and offers Pete a bundle wrapped in a shimmering cloth.

'Thank you,' Pete is clearly benefiting from being around Steve. 'It's heavy.'

'Now, perhaps,' Thor nods, 'but as your sword arm strengthens the weight shall merely feel welcome.'

Tony is beginning to get a bad feeling about this.

'Wow!' Pete sits on the floor as his gift opens up to be a long knife in an elegantly crafted scabbard.

Wonderful.

'Ok!' he steps over to his son. 'Let's be very careful with that, shall we?'

'It's a real sword!' Pete grins at him.

'Yes it is,' Tony agrees as Pete tries to pull it from its sheath.

'An enchantment is placed upon the blade,' Thor adds with a knowing smile. 'It cannot be drawn if the intention of the wielder is to play.'

'You baby proof your weapons?' Rhodey laughs.

'Do you not?' Thor gazes at him innocently.

Pete looks a little put out by this.

'Fear not,' Thor smiles at him, 'I shall give you lessons with your blade and during such sessions you shall be able to draw it.'

Ok, his three year old is apparently going to be receiving sword fighting lessons from a Norse god.

But his son is grinning again so sure, why not?

'Thor!' Steve's voice sounds out as he and the others step from the lift. 'Welcome back! There's nothing wrong, I hope?'

'My friends!' Thor stands and stretches his arms out, 'I am glad to see you all again!'

Natasha and Bruce duck out of his way leaving Steve and Clint to be caught in the hug.

'Gack!' Clint stumbles a little as he's let go but Steve immediately thumps Thor on the shoulder with a grin,

'It's good to see you too!'

Natasha and Bruce make similar, but less enthusiastic, motions towards greeting their fellow Avenger. Quickly the exchanges establish that there's nothing wrong and Thor is just visiting.

And baring his gift.

'He gave me a sword!' Pete has dodged to Steve's side and waves the knife up at him.

Thank Thor for the Asgardian baby proofing, Tony grins to himself.

'Wow!' Steve's look of disguised horror is precious.

'It's alright,' Tony cuts in, 'he can't unsheathe it.'

'Oh,' Steve visibly relaxes, 'it's beautiful, Pete.'

'Thor is going to teach me,' Pete beams.

'Well, if your Dada says that's ok,' Steve doesn't look convinced.

'I can, can't I, Dada?' Pete turns to him. 'Please?'

'Of course you can,' may as well go with it from the beginning. 'As long as you're very careful and do everything Thor tells you.'

Pete grins triumphantly.

'Sir, the large batch of coffee that I took the liberty of preparing is ready,' Jarvis is a lifesaver.

'Ah, coffee!' Thor beams, 'I am most fond of this beverage.'

'Thor is going to teach Pete sword fighting?' Steve asks quietly as the others all cluster around the coffee machine.

'Do you want to be the one that tells him no?' he quirks an eyebrow.

Steve laughs,

'I couldn't get him to wait ten minutes for you to finish your press conference...'

'I meant Thor,' Tony grins and collects his coffee as the others move away to the seating area.

Steve smiles as he follows him,

'Good point.'


	20. Chapter 20

AN~ Second chapter of the night :-)

* * *

Later, after they've eaten, Tony returns to his workshop with Rhodey and his son. He puts Pete down to nap and walks back over to where his friend is waiting.

'You need to tell him,' Rhodey jumps straight back in. 'That man adores you, Tony; you're going to break him if you don't tell him soon.'

'Break him?' Tony scowls. 'No. He'll just... He'll be angry.'

'Tony, I know you have the emotional maturity of a golf ball but you've got to realise how this will hurt him.'

Tony hesitates,

'I just want him to love Pete too.'

'You want him to love you,' Rhodey snaps quietly. 'Tony, the boy is a clone but he isn't you. You don't need to repair his childhood anymore than you already are. Pete loves you; you're his Dada. He doesn't need to have another parent to be happy.'

'No, this has nothing to do with me!' Tony argues. 'This is about me doing everything I can for my sons. If Steve ends up hating me that's fine, just as long as...'

'He already loves Pete!' Rhodey interrupts. 'The only one the room today keeping a closer eye on that child was Jarvis!'

'It's an adjustment though,' Tony can feel his arguments slipping away from him. 'He can bond with Pete first and then with Jim...'

'You're being ridiculous!'

'I just thought he'd cope better if he wasn't overwhelmed with all this so early,' Tony replies quietly.

'You think Steve can cope with loosing another friend?' Rhodey asks. 'Because that's what'll happen here, Tony. How will he be able to trust you after this?'

'He's Steve,' Tony blinks, 'everyone loves him. He doesn't need me.'

Rhodey looks constipated.

'He really will be fine, Rhodey,' he reassures. 'He deserves better than me too.'

'A golf ball, Tony,' Rhodey groans. 'I'm not kidding.'

Tony stares at him.

'Tony,' Rhodey's speaking gently now, 'he likes you.'

'I know that,' Tony rolls his eyes.

'And how many friends did you say he has?'

Tony suppresses his flinch.

'Please tell him?'

Tony rakes a hand through his hair and glances to the incubator in the corner.

He nods.

'You'll tell him?' Rhodey presses.

'Yeah,' Tony agrees. 'Yes, alright, I'll tell him.'

'Thank you,' Rhodey clasps his shoulder and gives him a small shake.

Tony laughs and steps forwards to let his head rest against Rhodey's shoulder,

'I never meant for him to be hurt.'

Rhodey just hugs him.

* * *

They spend the rest of the afternoon messing around in the workshop with Pete and the bots. For dinner the return to the penthouse to join Pepper. Rhodey cooks steak while Tony manages a salad to go with it as Pete and Pepper curl up on the sofa and read a story off of Pete's StarkTab.

Pete's room is finished now, but when Pete's eyes start to droop, while they're watching Cars, Tony still takes him back to the Master suite.

Rhodey and Pepper leave, for their floor and suite respectively, and Tony's left alone to finish his scotch.

And to think.

'Muffins,' Tony decides.

'Now, sir?' Jarvis queries.

'No, when I tell Steve.'

'Ah, yes,' his AI replies, 'nothing says I'm sorry I didn't tell you you're about to become a father like baked goods.'

'There's got to be rules about not hitting someone who's just fed you, right?'

'I do not believe Captain Rogers will hit you, sir.'

'As an icebreaker then,' Tony waves a hand. 'Hey, good morning Cap, there's something I need to tell you. Please eat a muffin.'

Short silences from his AI either mean he's checking a fact somewhere across the world or he's laughing.

Tony suspects laughter.

'Not my best work,' he admits. 'Not sure there's a suave way to do this one, Jay.'

'I suspect not, sir,' he agrees.

'I'm not kidding on the muffins though. Get me muffins. Like a giant basket of muffins. With a bow.'

'Do you have a preference regarding flavours?'

'Amaze me,' Tony dismisses. 'Whatever you think Cap will like.'

'Would you like the muffins before or after breakfast?'

'After,' he decides. 'I'm not doing this in front of Pete; get them delivered in time for when Pete has his nap.'

'A hundred muffins are on order, sir.'

Jarvis is such an enabler.

'Thanks, Jay. Should I wear a suit?'

'All day, sir? Or do you plan to dismiss Captain Rogers after breakfast so you might prepare to see him at lunch?'

'No suit,' Tony swallows back his drink and pours another. 'Would flowers be inappropriate?'

'I suspect Captain Rogers would believe you were asking him out if you gave him flowers.'

'No flowers, got it,' Tony nods.

'Unless you would like to ask out Captain Rogers...' he can hear Jarvis' amusement.

'One thing at a time,' Tony scoffs.

'He is very fond of you, sir,' his AI is serious again now. 'And of Peter.'

'You think this is the right time to tell him, Jay?'

'I do not know, sir. Captain Rogers wants a family and he is attracted to you. You have a son together. It is not difficult to see how this might end perfectly.'

'Or blow up spectacularly,' Tony toasts the air and finishes his drink again.

'You have not known each other long enough for me to extrapolate outcomes,' Jarvis informs him regretfully.

'Alright,' Tony nods, 'but you personally; do you think it's right to tell Steve now?'

'You are my first priority, sir,' Jarvis hedges.

'You do!' Tony puts down his empty glass and leans forwards to put his face in his hands. 'You thought I should tell Steve all along but didn't say so? Why?'

'Because Captain Rogers' emotional wellbeing is not my concern,' Jarvis retorts. 'You were not ready to tell him so it was not the correct time to tell him.'

'Jarvis...'

'You have had a large adjustment to make in these last four days,' Jarvis continues. 'Knowing you will be bound to the Captain through a child for the rest of your lives is not something easy to accept. I was confident, however, that you would always have chosen to tell him well before your deadline.'

'Was that factoring in Pepper and Rhodey?'

'Their involvement was always likely, sir.'

'True.'

'Without them I predict you would have told Captain Rogers as Jim was being born.'

'Because I can't announce something without drama?'

'It is something of your modus operandi at this point, sir.'

'What was the percentage chance of me telling Steve via a press conference?'

'On purpose, less than half a percent, by accident, seven percent.'

'That's really high,' Tony can't help but laugh. 'God, Jay, I'm a terrible person.'

'You are my favourite person,' Jarvis retorts.

'Yeah, well, you're biased; I'm one of the few people who knows about you,' Tony stands up and heads to his room.

There's a small pause,

'I think you are the only one that loves me.'

Tony's hand snaps out the grasp at the wall,

'Please tell me that I have told you that?'

'Sir?' Jarvis sounds alarmed.

'That I love you!' Tony blurts. 'You're my best friend and my kid and my conscience... Please tell me we haven't been together that long and I haven't...'

'You have,' Jarvis interrupts. 'Sir, that was my point.'

'The others like you,' Tony stays paused in the corridor.

'Indeed,' Jarvis agrees. 'But I am not one of the first people they would think to call if they had been injured.'

'I always call you,' Tony finally walks into his room.

'Yes, sir,' he can hear Jarvis' smile.

'Remember that time I went to Portland?' Tony grins as he strips off his clothes.

'I was no wired into your house there so you dialled your Malibu property to speak to me.'

'Ran up an enormous phone bill because I left the line open all week,' Tony climbs into bed beside his son. 'Don't think that I don't know that you're distracting me.'

'I merely hoped to give you a nice memory to dwell on before you go to sleep,' Jarvis replies.

'Sure,' Tony settles down, 'thanks Jay.'

'Good night, sir.'

'Good night, bud.'


	21. Chapter 21

The penthouse is still quiet when he arrives; Pepper must be elsewhere again. He starts the coffee machine and leans against the kitchen units as it brews.

'Is Pete bouncing on Tony yet?'

'Not just yet, Captain,' Jarvis replies. 'He is awake, however.'

'I best go and save his Dada then,' Steve grins and pours a mug of strong coffee.

'Sir would likely appreciate that.'

He steps into Tony's room to find Pete sprawled on his father's back,

'Daaaaaadaaaaa...' Pete whines.

'Jarvis,' Tony's voice is muffled where his head is under his pillow, 'please tell me Steve's on his way.'

'Already here,' Steve laughs.

'Cap!' Pete scrambles to the edge of the bed and holds up his arms expectantly.

'Hey, Pete,' he scoops the boy onto his lap as he sits down on the bed.

'Is that coffee?' Tony peers out at him.

'Just the way you like it,' Steve can't help but smile as Tony levers himself up.

He tries to keep his gaze from slipping to Tony's bare chest.

'I really do love you, Steve,' Tony has no idea what he's saying before his coffee has kicked in.

'I'm glad,' he smiles as he hands over the mug.

Tony makes an obscene noise as he inhales the rising vapour.

'Breakfast, Cap!' Pete pats his chest.

'Alright,' Steve grins.

As he moves to stand up Pete suddenly throws himself backwards out of his arms and scrambles across his father's legs to the other side of the bed,

'Pete?' Steve asks in alarm and then grins as Pete collects a couple of items from his side of the bed.

The blanky has got to be relatively normal. The sword, not so much.

'Those are coming with us, huh?' Pete scrambles back over into his arms and manages to jab him in the neck with the sword hilt.

'Thor says I should always carry it so my arm gets stronger,' Pete tells him.

'Alright,' Steve agrees and shifts Pete in his arms until he isn't being stabbed. 'Tony, are you coming?'

The only response he gets is Tony kicking off his sheet but he takes it as a yes.

Tony pads along after him, just wearing some loose pants, as he gets Pete dressed and pours him a beaker of milk. He's getting the ingredients together for French toast as Tony slumps next to the coffee machine and refills his mug.

'Did you go to bed late?' he asks.

'Didn't sleep well,' Tony shrugs a shoulder and doesn't look at him.

'Oh,' a rush of shame floods his chest, 'I'm sorry.'

Tony glances up at his tone and blinks sleepily,

'Hey,' he shakes his head, 'no. Not because of yesterday. Not because of you. Just a lot on my mind.'

'I could look after Pete for a few hours, if you wanted to go back to sleep?' Steve offers.

'Nah,' Tony shakes his head, 'let me finish this and I'll be back to normal.'

'Coffee isn't food, Tony,' he smiles.

'Lies,' Tony shifts closer and slumps against his side.

Steve is getting far too used to this.

'Not sure I can make this with only one arm,' he teases as Tony practically nuzzles his bicep.

'You're so warm,' Tony informs him.

Steve valiantly doesn't keep thinking about how Tony is half naked.

'You could put some clothes on if you're cold,' Steve hopes his voice sounds steady.

Tony merely grunts.

'Are you falling asleep on me?' Steve smiles and flips over the toast to brown the other side.

'I probably would if you didn't keep moving,' Tony gazes up at him with big sad eyes.

'Oh, well, I am sorry,' he smirks and steps away to plate up the toast.

Tony grumbles but follows him to the table and cuts up Pete's toast for him.

After eating Tony does seem a little more human. Steve is now hoping that if Tony notices him staring at his chest he'll assume he's looking at the arc reactor.

Pete settles himself on the floor a selection of his plastic animals, some cars and lots of paper and pencils. That he's hugging his blanky as he draws and his sword is on the floor beside him rather completes the picture.

Tony sits down on the sofa with another mug of coffee cradled to his chest. Steve sits beside him so he has a good excuse to avert his eyes.

'Tony, can I ask you something?' he asks a few minutes later.

'Sure, Cap,' Tony's gaze is alert again.

'I just... Yesterday you said...' he pauses.

'You have questions,' Tony waves a hand. 'Jarvis had to threaten to shoot you to keep me from going completely off the rails, you deserve some answers. So, one time offer, shoot.'

'Your mother...' Steve trails off. He knows that, regardless of what he just said, Tony's walls will be up for this conversation.

'My mother beat me on a semi regular basis from as early as I can remember until I was sent to boarding school,' Tony reports mechanically.

'And Howard?' Steve almost doesn't want to know.

'He didn't hit me, if that's what you're asking,' he replies. 'He ignored me for the most part; told me to keep out of his way. If he knew that Maria... what was happening, then he never let on.'

'I don't understand,' Steve admits. 'You always act like Howard was such a terrible father but...' he falters when Tony gives a fake laugh.

'It's human nature, Cap,' he sees Tony's gaze slide to the bar for a moment before flicking to his son. 'They prod at what they think is the story. All the time I'm the poor spoilt rich boy, whose hero of a father just didn't have time for him, they don't think to ask about my mother.'

There's a pause where Steve cannot think of anything to say before Tony continues quietly,

'I don't like talking about my mother.'

Steve can't imagine having anything but the highest degree of love for his mom.

'I don't understand how anyone could let that happen,' Steve tries to keep his voice from cracking. 'You were barely more than a baby...'

Tony has one arm crossed over his bare stomach and his other hand covering his arc reactor.

That's twice in two days Steve has managed to make Tony that defensive.

'I'm sorry,' he blurts, 'this is none of my business.'

'I'm fine,' Tony retorts, 'you have a free pass.'

'That doesn't mean...'

'Just ask,' Tony scrubs a hand across his face.

Steve swallows,

'You know that her being a monster has no bearing on you?'

'Sure,' Tony agrees quietly.

'Tony...'

'Something must have set her off,' Tony just sounds defeated, 'and she definitely resented me.'

Tony should never sound like that.

'Hey,' Steve risks gripping his friend's shoulder, 'you were a baby. What could you possibly have done to deserve that?'

Tony just shrugs; he looks to be caught in his memories.

Steve should never have asked.

'Someone should have stopped her,' Steve can hear his own distress. 'How could nobody notice what she was doing?'

'She probably paid them off,' Tony turns to look at him now, but his eyes are shuttered.

'And Howard?' Steve can feel his distress turning to anger. 'What possible excuse could he have for ignoring the abuse of his only son?'

Tony glances to Pete,

'Yeah, well, I'm just glad we found Pete when we did.'

'Pete was relieved when you told him he wouldn't see his mom again,' Steve has a bad feeling.

'Nature verses nurture,' Tony's expression ignites with his anger before collapsing back with a sigh. 'They couldn't be sure what made me into me so they kept everything as close to the same as they could.'

'They had a someone beat him while claiming to be his mother?' Steve can't help the growl in his tone.

Tony nods,

'Yeah. You can't see it now, it's healed, but she broke his arm early last year and that matches pretty perfectly with when Maria broke mine.'

Steve feels sick.

'It's also why he recognised me, you see?' Tony continues. 'They had someone who looked like me, or was wearing one of those masks to be me, and they had him exist in the way Howard did for me back then.'

'And he just ignored you?' Steve asks quietly when Tony falls silent.

'Yeah,' Tony shrugs, 'but if he could see me at all Maria never touched me. At Pete's age he was my hero; he kept her away and he sometimes told me stories. I mean, he was mostly drunk when he did that and the stories were always how amazing Captain America was and how no one else could ever compare, but it was more than I got from anyone else so...' he shrugs again.

'Pete trusted me from that first day,' he turns to Steve, 'because he thought he already knew me.'


	22. Chapter 22

AN~ Second chapter of the night :-)

* * *

Steve is quiet as he stews over the emotional dump Tony has just unloaded on him.

Tony opts to leave for a quick shower to try and relieve the tension.

'Jarvis?' he steps into the shower stall.

'Yes, sir?'

'Any chance Rhodey would let me off telling Steve about Jim on the basis I just raked open my childhood?'

'I suspect there is very little you might wish to do that Colonel Rhodes would not forgive you for,' Jarvis replies without answering the question.

'Are you suggesting I want to tell Steve? Because I'm quite sure I don't want to tell Steve.'

'You may not wish to tell him,' Jarvis knows him too well, 'but you do wish for him to know.'

'Maybe Pete could tell him,' Tony rubs shampoo into his hair.

'Wonderful idea, sir,' Jarvis replies dryly.

Tony laughs nervously,

'Just a thought.

'Do Hallmark do cards for 'Sorry, you're the father'?'

'I suggest,' Jarvis ignores him, 'that Captain Rogers may wish to have a picture of his son.'

This is why Jarvis is his favourite.

'Get one,' Tony agrees readily. 'Put it with the muffins. Are they here yet?'

'In the foyer, sir, ready to be put in the lift at my signal. I shall have an ultrasound style image placed in an envelope and attached to the basket.'

'Thanks, Jay,' he steps out from the spray and stares at himself in the mirror. 'I may need a pep talk when Pete goes down for his nap.'

'I shall do my best when the time comes,' Jarvis assures him.

* * *

Tony picks at his lunch but he can't really delay putting Pete down for a nap after the boy practically falls asleep in his plate.

'There you go, kiddo,' he tucks him into the bed in the master suite. 'We should probably try out your bed sometime, you know?'

He smoothes Pete's hair away from his face and presses a kiss to his forehead.

'Sir, you can do this; Captain Rogers is statistically unlikely to hit you.'

Tony sits up and grins,

'Jarvis, is that the best you could come up with?'

'I believed it touched upon the most important points,' Jarvis replies.

'Yeah, thanks, I feel so much better.'

'You are smiling.'

'Don't be smug. Alright, let's do this. Get the muffins on the lift,' he steps out into the main room to find Steve tidying.

Steve looks up and smiles,

'Hey, he went down ok?'

'Yeah,' Tony summons up a smile as he steps over to the lift.

It may have been a bit of a media smile as Steve's dims a little.

Ok, a hundred muffins is a very large basket of muffins.

'That's a lot of muffins,' he turns to find Steve looking baffled. 'We only just had lunch; what did you want muffins for?'

'They're for you,' Tony tells him and hands them over before taking several hurried steps backwards.

'Oh,' Steve holds the basket awkwardly for a moment before moving to place it on the table, 'thank you. What's the occasion?'

Tony's voice is stuck in his throat.

'Tony?' Steve has lifted the envelope containing the photo of their son, but hasn't opened it. 'What's wrong?'

'He's yours!' Tony finally manages to blurt and then mentally kicks himself.

'What?'

'Jim,' Tony drags a hand through his hair. 'He's yours.'

'He's my what?' Steve looks so honestly, trustingly, confused.

'He's your son,' his voice is finally steady and he keeps Steve's gaze.

All the better to see the ruination of their friendship played out across Steve's face.

At first he's still just confused but it morphs into shock. He then looks briefly delighted before returning to confused,

'Why would you say he was yours?'

'Because he is,' he stuffs his hands into his pockets to try and stop himself wanting a glass of something as a prop.

'I don't understand.'

'We found that AIM manipulated some of your cells to acts as...' Tony falters as Steve flinches and crosses his arms across his chest, 'to act as eggs. They injected my DNA.'

He watches Steve swallow heavily and look away,

'Why?'

'We don't know,' Tony admits. 'Their notes don't say why. I guess they hope the serum will be inheritable.'

Steve nods,

'Who knows?'

'Well, I think we killed everyone in the base,' Tony replies, confused. 'I guess one of the higher ups in AIM might...'

'I meant who knew before me,' Steve interrupts. 'You said 'we', so, who know before me?'

'Me, Bruce, Jarvis, Pepper and Rhodey,' Tony tells him promptly.

Steve nods again, still staring at the floor,

'Right,' he lets out a bitter sounding laugh, 'ok, fine.'

'Steve...'

'What?' Steve snaps, but when he meets Tony's gaze he just looks lost.

'I'm sorry,' Tony tells him. 'I just didn't want you to be tied down.'

'You've known the entire time,' Rhodey was right; Steve looks stricken.

'Yes,' Tony won't lie now.

'So these last few days with Pete...' Steve waves a hand vaguely, 'that was some sort of interview? To check if I'm good enough to be near your... _our _son?!'

'No! That's not...'

'Why wouldn't you tell me?' Steve stares at him.

'I didn't think you needed to know!' Tony blurts.

'I didn't need to know...' Steve repeats with a strange sounding laugh.

'I was doing ok and you clearly would have been ok spending time with him without knowing.'

Steve just stares at him.

'It's just genetics,' Tony continues weakly, 'you shouldn't have to be involved if you don't want to be.'

'And it was up to you to make that decision?'

'It's up to me to protect my son from having a parent who isn't interested,' Tony retorts.

'That's what you think of me?' Steve asks quietly.

'Steve...'

'I'm just going to... go...' Steve gestures to the lift.

'Take the muffins,' Tony tells him. 'I'll only throw them away.'

Steve visibly hesitates, but then his shoulders slump a little and he picks up the basket. Tony steps well out of his way as he moves to the lift and watches as he steps inside.

'I'm sorry.'

'Yeah, I get it,' Steve retorts and then the doors slide shut.

That could have gone better.


End file.
